Narrative:

Our flight was cleared to taxi from parking to runway 31 via 'taxiway aa, hold short runway 22 on taxiway P.' I copied this into the FMC scratch pad and read back the clearance. As we neared taxiway P, ATC called and said that we were cleared to cross runway 22 at taxiway P. I read back the clearance and again copied it down inside the cockpit. When I looked up from doing this, I realized that we were past taxiway P. I immediately informed the captain, who initiated a hard r-hand turn back towards taxiway P. Being unsure of our exact position. I advised the captain to stop the aircraft. I radioed ATC that I thought we had passed taxiway P. ATC advised us that we appeared to be on taxiway P, and were cleared to continue taxiing across runway 22 to runway 31. During the turn back to and the return to taxiway P, I became concerned about our proximity to the taxiway markings/lighting, which I communicated to the captain. As a precaution, we had our airline maintenance inspect the aircraft. Maintenance reported to us that there was no damage, and we were ok to proceed, which we did. I feel that this occurred because of the usual difficulties associated with taxiing at night, compounded by the fact that ATC issued a revised clearance to us, just prior to when we needed to initiate a turn. My having to look inside to copy this clearance hampered my ability to back up the captain's turn.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-800 CREW HAD A TXWY INCURSION AT LGA.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS CLRED TO TAXI FROM PARKING TO RWY 31 VIA 'TXWY AA, HOLD SHORT RWY 22 ON TXWY P.' I COPIED THIS INTO THE FMC SCRATCH PAD AND READ BACK THE CLRNC. AS WE NEARED TXWY P, ATC CALLED AND SAID THAT WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS RWY 22 AT TXWY P. I READ BACK THE CLRNC AND AGAIN COPIED IT DOWN INSIDE THE COCKPIT. WHEN I LOOKED UP FROM DOING THIS, I REALIZED THAT WE WERE PAST TXWY P. I IMMEDIATELY INFORMED THE CAPT, WHO INITIATED A HARD R-HAND TURN BACK TOWARDS TXWY P. BEING UNSURE OF OUR EXACT POS. I ADVISED THE CAPT TO STOP THE ACFT. I RADIOED ATC THAT I THOUGHT WE HAD PASSED TXWY P. ATC ADVISED US THAT WE APPEARED TO BE ON TXWY P, AND WERE CLRED TO CONTINUE TAXIING ACROSS RWY 22 TO RWY 31. DURING THE TURN BACK TO AND THE RETURN TO TXWY P, I BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT OUR PROX TO THE TXWY MARKINGS/LIGHTING, WHICH I COMMUNICATED TO THE CAPT. AS A PRECAUTION, WE HAD OUR AIRLINE MAINT INSPECT THE ACFT. MAINT RPTED TO US THAT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE, AND WE WERE OK TO PROCEED, WHICH WE DID. I FEEL THAT THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THE USUAL DIFFICULTIES ASSOCIATED WITH TAXIING AT NIGHT, COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT ATC ISSUED A REVISED CLRNC TO US, JUST PRIOR TO WHEN WE NEEDED TO INITIATE A TURN. MY HAVING TO LOOK INSIDE TO COPY THIS CLRNC HAMPERED MY ABILITY TO BACK UP THE CAPT'S TURN.

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.