An A320 flight crew becomes disoriented and taxies across runway without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	575267
Time
Date	200302
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 750
ASRS Report	572267
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	575461
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Taxiing out from phl gate, we were cleared to spot X. On arrival at spot X we were cleared to taxi J, Y, south to runway 27L. I saw a J sign to the left and made a 90 degree left turn toward it thinking J was a n-s taxiway. I could see runway 27R directly ahead and verified with first officer since we were cleared to taxi to runway 27L we could cross runway 27R. I continued straight ahead onto runway 27R thinking I was on J, but actually crossed e-w taxiway J and onto the runway 27R after clearing both ways and being sure of no traffic. Once on the runway I was looking for taxiway Y and realized I must not be on J because I had to taxi diagonally to get off runway 27R. After exiting the runway we knew we were in wrong place and could see taxiway Y further to the west. We continued to taxiway south and then further for takeoff on runway 27L. Factors were fatigue after 8 duty hours, assuming a direct route to our runway, and darkness. We should have verified route on our charts which were out. It was our last leg and wanted to get home, after 3 days.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 FLT CREW BECOMES DISORIENTED AND TAXIES ACROSS RWY WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: TAXIING OUT FROM PHL GATE, WE WERE CLRED TO SPOT X. ON ARR AT SPOT X WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI J, Y, S TO RWY 27L. I SAW A J SIGN TO THE LEFT AND MADE A 90 DEG LEFT TURN TOWARD IT THINKING J WAS A N-S TXWY. I COULD SEE RWY 27R DIRECTLY AHEAD AND VERIFIED WITH FO SINCE WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 27L WE COULD CROSS RWY 27R. I CONTINUED STRAIGHT AHEAD ONTO RWY 27R THINKING I WAS ON J, BUT ACTUALLY CROSSED E-W TXWY J AND ONTO THE RWY 27R AFTER CLEARING BOTH WAYS AND BEING SURE OF NO TFC. ONCE ON THE RWY I WAS LOOKING FOR TXWY Y AND REALIZED I MUST NOT BE ON J BECAUSE I HAD TO TAXI DIAGONALLY TO GET OFF RWY 27R. AFTER EXITING THE RWY WE KNEW WE WERE IN WRONG PLACE AND COULD SEE TXWY Y FURTHER TO THE W. WE CONTINUED TO TXWY S AND THEN FURTHER FOR TKOF ON RWY 27L. FACTORS WERE FATIGUE AFTER 8 DUTY HRS, ASSUMING A DIRECT RTE TO OUR RWY, AND DARKNESS. WE SHOULD HAVE VERIFIED RTE ON OUR CHARTS WHICH WERE OUT. IT WAS OUR LAST LEG AND WANTED TO GET HOME, AFTER 3 DAYS.

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.