Helicopter crossed runway at sdl without ATC clearance.

Attributes
ACN	581251
Time
Date	200305
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdl.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl single value : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sdl.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : sdl.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	ground : position and hold
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	581251
Person 2
Function	flight crew : captain
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : investigated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Upon calling scottsdale control tower for a departure from an area off airport, I thought the tower had cleared me to cross the runways and txwys at midfield. Departure location sometimes has poor radio reception due to proximity of buildings, etc. I crossed midfield sebound and the tower told me that I did not have clearance to cross. I had traffic holding on the runway in sight, and had the upwind aircraft that was at the departure end of the runway in sight. I thought that the tower was holding the airplane 'in position' on the runway...for me to cross. The radio traffic was very, very busy and I could not establish a 'cut-in' radio call, and I proceeded across the runway as I thought I was cleared. The tower then informed me of a possible deviation. In hindsight and next time, I will make a r-hand orbit prior to crossing the taxiway and runway so as I can 'radio-verify a clearance.' there was no 'near-miss' or close call on traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI CROSSED RWY AT SDL WITHOUT ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: UPON CALLING SCOTTSDALE CTL TWR FOR A DEP FROM AN AREA OFF ARPT, I THOUGHT THE TWR HAD CLRED ME TO CROSS THE RWYS AND TXWYS AT MIDFIELD. DEP LOCATION SOMETIMES HAS POOR RADIO RECEPTION DUE TO PROX OF BUILDINGS, ETC. I CROSSED MIDFIELD SEBOUND AND THE TWR TOLD ME THAT I DID NOT HAVE CLRNC TO CROSS. I HAD TFC HOLDING ON THE RWY IN SIGHT, AND HAD THE UPWIND ACFT THAT WAS AT THE DEP END OF THE RWY IN SIGHT. I THOUGHT THAT THE TWR WAS HOLDING THE AIRPLANE 'IN POS' ON THE RWY...FOR ME TO CROSS. THE RADIO TFC WAS VERY, VERY BUSY AND I COULD NOT ESTABLISH A 'CUT-IN' RADIO CALL, AND I PROCEEDED ACROSS THE RWY AS I THOUGHT I WAS CLRED. THE TWR THEN INFORMED ME OF A POSSIBLE DEV. IN HINDSIGHT AND NEXT TIME, I WILL MAKE A R-HAND ORBIT PRIOR TO XING THE TXWY AND RWY SO AS I CAN 'RADIO-VERIFY A CLRNC.' THERE WAS NO 'NEAR-MISS' OR CLOSE CALL ON TFC.

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.