Narrative:

The FBO is on greenville/majors field, active runway is runway 17/35, and there is construction that has the parallel taxiway closed, so when departing to the south you must back taxi to the departure end of the runway. I called greenville/majors tower for taxi instructions and clearance from the FBO. Tower responded with 'cleared to taxi to runway 17, call when ready to depart, hold short.' I read the clearance back, and asked for clarification that the proper procedure, due to the construction, was to back taxi on the active runway. Tower responded that this is the proper procedure. I am on the taxiway to the departure end of runway 35 and understood the clearance as cleared to taxi to the departure end of runway 17, exit the runway and hold short at runway 17. About half way down the runway (while back taxing) tower calls and informs me that I have busted the hold short instructions given. I apologized for the misunderstanding and continued with caution to the departure end of the runway. The tower did not request any different action from me. I feel like the clearance given, cleared me to back taxi to runway 17. I believe this was caused by unclr communication by the tower. I understand that runway 17/35 is the same piece of concrete, but if the hold short instructions were intended to be understood as hold short of the runway, then I believe the clearance should have been given, cleared to taxi, hold short of the runway, expect clearance to back taxi. Not cleared to taxi to runway 17 and hold short.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 TAXIING FOR DEP AT GVT ENTERED RWY WITHOUT ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: THE FBO IS ON GREENVILLE/MAJORS FIELD, ACTIVE RWY IS RWY 17/35, AND THERE IS CONSTRUCTION THAT HAS THE PARALLEL TXWY CLOSED, SO WHEN DEPARTING TO THE S YOU MUST BACK TAXI TO THE DEP END OF THE RWY. I CALLED GREENVILLE/MAJORS TWR FOR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS AND CLRNC FROM THE FBO. TWR RESPONDED WITH 'CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 17, CALL WHEN READY TO DEPART, HOLD SHORT.' I READ THE CLRNC BACK, AND ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION THAT THE PROPER PROC, DUE TO THE CONSTRUCTION, WAS TO BACK TAXI ON THE ACTIVE RWY. TWR RESPONDED THAT THIS IS THE PROPER PROC. I AM ON THE TXWY TO THE DEP END OF RWY 35 AND UNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC AS CLRED TO TAXI TO THE DEP END OF RWY 17, EXIT THE RWY AND HOLD SHORT AT RWY 17. ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN THE RWY (WHILE BACK TAXING) TWR CALLS AND INFORMS ME THAT I HAVE BUSTED THE HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN. I APOLOGIZED FOR THE MISUNDERSTANDING AND CONTINUED WITH CAUTION TO THE DEP END OF THE RWY. THE TWR DID NOT REQUEST ANY DIFFERENT ACTION FROM ME. I FEEL LIKE THE CLRNC GIVEN, CLRED ME TO BACK TAXI TO RWY 17. I BELIEVE THIS WAS CAUSED BY UNCLR COM BY THE TWR. I UNDERSTAND THAT RWY 17/35 IS THE SAME PIECE OF CONCRETE, BUT IF THE HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTIONS WERE INTENDED TO BE UNDERSTOOD AS HOLD SHORT OF THE RWY, THEN I BELIEVE THE CLRNC SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN, CLRED TO TAXI, HOLD SHORT OF THE RWY, EXPECT CLRNC TO BACK TAXI. NOT CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 17 AND HOLD SHORT.

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.