C172 pilot had a runway incursion after he received a clearance he did not understand, and did not q...

Attributes
ACN	561047
Time
Date	200209
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pou.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	561047
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : far non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ATIS at pou reported wind at 8 KTS at 280 degrees, runway 24 in use. Called ground and reported at taxiway G with ATIS. Ground issued taxiway B to something, then to runway 24. Couldn't find taxiway B on airport diagram and before I found it or asked for directions, ground said 'you can use runway 6.' I thought he meant to taxi on runway 6 (it was just in front of aircraft from taxiway G). Checked for other traffic and proceeded to taxi on runway 6. Ground then informed me that he wanted me to depart using runway 6 not taxi on it. Cleared runway 6, taxied on taxiway a to runway 24 and departed. Ground said that originally he thought that I was at tiedown G and that's why he issued taxiway B. Probably not a good idea to have 2 golfs. Runway 24/6 is 5001 ft long and even an intersection departure from taxiway G with a tailwind would have been safe. It goes against my training to depart with an 8 KT tailwind. This was early in the morning, there was no other traffic and it's not the first time a controller has had me back-taxi on the active, although they usually use phrases like 'back taxi,' not 'use.' I thought about questioning him and I will certainly do it in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT HAD A RWY INCURSION AFTER HE RECEIVED A CLRNC HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND, AND DID NOT QUESTION.

Narrative: ATIS AT POU RPTED WIND AT 8 KTS AT 280 DEGS, RWY 24 IN USE. CALLED GND AND RPTED AT TXWY G WITH ATIS. GND ISSUED TXWY B TO SOMETHING, THEN TO RWY 24. COULDN'T FIND TXWY B ON ARPT DIAGRAM AND BEFORE I FOUND IT OR ASKED FOR DIRECTIONS, GND SAID 'YOU CAN USE RWY 6.' I THOUGHT HE MEANT TO TAXI ON RWY 6 (IT WAS JUST IN FRONT OF ACFT FROM TXWY G). CHKED FOR OTHER TFC AND PROCEEDED TO TAXI ON RWY 6. GND THEN INFORMED ME THAT HE WANTED ME TO DEPART USING RWY 6 NOT TAXI ON IT. CLRED RWY 6, TAXIED ON TXWY A TO RWY 24 AND DEPARTED. GND SAID THAT ORIGINALLY HE THOUGHT THAT I WAS AT TIEDOWN G AND THAT'S WHY HE ISSUED TXWY B. PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE 2 GOLFS. RWY 24/6 IS 5001 FT LONG AND EVEN AN INTXN DEP FROM TXWY G WITH A TAILWIND WOULD HAVE BEEN SAFE. IT GOES AGAINST MY TRAINING TO DEPART WITH AN 8 KT TAILWIND. THIS WAS EARLY IN THE MORNING, THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC AND IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME A CTLR HAS HAD ME BACK-TAXI ON THE ACTIVE, ALTHOUGH THEY USUALLY USE PHRASES LIKE 'BACK TAXI,' NOT 'USE.' I THOUGHT ABOUT QUESTIONING HIM AND I WILL CERTAINLY DO IT IN THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

C172 pilot had a runway incursion after he received a clearance he did not understand, and did not question.