Narrative:

I issued control instructions to a solo student pilot aboard a C172 to 'taxi to runway 35' for VFR pattern work. No further restr was issued. While en route; aircraft X crossed runway 35 on taxiway C without a clearance to do so; resulting in an incursion. I correctly expected aircraft X to hold short of runway 35 on taxiway C. There was no conflict with any other aircraft during this incursion. It was my later understanding that the student stated that he assumed; since no further restr had been issued with the instruction to taxi to runway 35; he understood that he had clearance to cross the assigned takeoff runway. During the past 9 months; this deviation marks the 4TH runway incursion with which I have been involved -- the third directly involving student pilot activity; all 4 occurring on runway 35 at the north end. Air traffic management has responded repeatedly to the leadership of the flight training program about the recent spate of runway incursions involving students. The incursions continue. Air traffic management is now compelled to take additional action locally to ensure that the confusion; which still continues with some flight students; is resolved. Air traffic management has ordered; effective immediately after this latest incursion; that controllers shall issue detailed hold short instructions for every aircraft taxiing from the ramp to runway 35 so as to '...hold short of runway 35 on taxiway C.' the short-term effect of this order is expected to remind students not to cross runway 35 without further clearance. Some controllers had previously adopted this new philosophy prior to its mandate by management. Others; like myself; had not. In the interest of immediate; short-term; operational safety at ZZZ the new control order from air traffic management sounds prudent. However; the long-term effect(south) of this action must be considered. Will the new ATC procedure at ZZZ; although well intentioned for short-term safety; actually contribute to the current national rise in runway incursions with each successive graduating class. The confusion of some students over part 91.129(I); as seen by their repeated failures to hold short of active runways when required; will not magically disappear because ZZZ ATC is now holding them short of every intersection/surface they require. Supplemental information from acn 687960: the student failed to hold short of runway 35 and crossed the runway without incident. Remedial training on the issue has taken place and the student is now fully aware of this rule. Adding to the situation; the ZZZ tower often includes the hold short instruction even though it is implied and other times they do not. This can be confusing to the student; especially if they hear the instruction given with and without during the same flight. Supplemental information from acn 687455: was told to taxi to runway 35; I crossed runway 35 because I did not hear to hold and after I crossed was told to contact my instructor and have him call the tower. I had heard the controller tell the aircraft before me to taxi and hold short of runway 35 but he did not tell me to hold this is why I took it as cross runway 35.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR AND PLT RPTRS DESCRIBED RWY INCURSION AT AZO DURING TAXI TO RWY 35 REQUIRING XING OF SAME RWY.

Narrative: I ISSUED CTL INSTRUCTIONS TO A SOLO STUDENT PLT ABOARD A C172 TO 'TAXI TO RWY 35' FOR VFR PATTERN WORK. NO FURTHER RESTR WAS ISSUED. WHILE ENRTE; ACFT X CROSSED RWY 35 ON TXWY C WITHOUT A CLRNC TO DO SO; RESULTING IN AN INCURSION. I CORRECTLY EXPECTED ACFT X TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 35 ON TXWY C. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH ANY OTHER ACFT DURING THIS INCURSION. IT WAS MY LATER UNDERSTANDING THAT THE STUDENT STATED THAT HE ASSUMED; SINCE NO FURTHER RESTR HAD BEEN ISSUED WITH THE INSTRUCTION TO TAXI TO RWY 35; HE UNDERSTOOD THAT HE HAD CLRNC TO CROSS THE ASSIGNED TKOF RWY. DURING THE PAST 9 MONTHS; THIS DEV MARKS THE 4TH RWY INCURSION WITH WHICH I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED -- THE THIRD DIRECTLY INVOLVING STUDENT PLT ACTIVITY; ALL 4 OCCURRING ON RWY 35 AT THE N END. AIR TFC MGMNT HAS RESPONDED REPEATEDLY TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE FLT TRAINING PROGRAM ABOUT THE RECENT SPATE OF RWY INCURSIONS INVOLVING STUDENTS. THE INCURSIONS CONTINUE. AIR TFC MGMNT IS NOW COMPELLED TO TAKE ADDITIONAL ACTION LOCALLY TO ENSURE THAT THE CONFUSION; WHICH STILL CONTINUES WITH SOME FLT STUDENTS; IS RESOLVED. AIR TFC MGMNT HAS ORDERED; EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS LATEST INCURSION; THAT CTLRS SHALL ISSUE DETAILED HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTIONS FOR EVERY ACFT TAXIING FROM THE RAMP TO RWY 35 SO AS TO '...HOLD SHORT OF RWY 35 ON TXWY C.' THE SHORT-TERM EFFECT OF THIS ORDER IS EXPECTED TO REMIND STUDENTS NOT TO CROSS RWY 35 WITHOUT FURTHER CLRNC. SOME CTLRS HAD PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED THIS NEW PHILOSOPHY PRIOR TO ITS MANDATE BY MGMNT. OTHERS; LIKE MYSELF; HAD NOT. IN THE INTEREST OF IMMEDIATE; SHORT-TERM; OPERATIONAL SAFETY AT ZZZ THE NEW CTL ORDER FROM AIR TFC MGMNT SOUNDS PRUDENT. HOWEVER; THE LONG-TERM EFFECT(S) OF THIS ACTION MUST BE CONSIDERED. WILL THE NEW ATC PROC AT ZZZ; ALTHOUGH WELL INTENTIONED FOR SHORT-TERM SAFETY; ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE CURRENT NATIONAL RISE IN RWY INCURSIONS WITH EACH SUCCESSIVE GRADUATING CLASS. THE CONFUSION OF SOME STUDENTS OVER PART 91.129(I); AS SEEN BY THEIR REPEATED FAILURES TO HOLD SHORT OF ACTIVE RWYS WHEN REQUIRED; WILL NOT MAGICALLY DISAPPEAR BECAUSE ZZZ ATC IS NOW HOLDING THEM SHORT OF EVERY INTXN/SURFACE THEY REQUIRE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 687960: THE STUDENT FAILED TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 35 AND CROSSED THE RWY WITHOUT INCIDENT. REMEDIAL TRAINING ON THE ISSUE HAS TAKEN PLACE AND THE STUDENT IS NOW FULLY AWARE OF THIS RULE. ADDING TO THE SITUATION; THE ZZZ TWR OFTEN INCLUDES THE HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTION EVEN THOUGH IT IS IMPLIED AND OTHER TIMES THEY DO NOT. THIS CAN BE CONFUSING TO THE STUDENT; ESPECIALLY IF THEY HEAR THE INSTRUCTION GIVEN WITH AND WITHOUT DURING THE SAME FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 687455: WAS TOLD TO TAXI TO RWY 35; I CROSSED RWY 35 BECAUSE I DID NOT HEAR TO HOLD AND AFTER I CROSSED WAS TOLD TO CONTACT MY INSTRUCTOR AND HAVE HIM CALL THE TWR. I HAD HEARD THE CTLR TELL THE ACFT BEFORE ME TO TAXI AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 35 BUT HE DID NOT TELL ME TO HOLD THIS IS WHY I TOOK IT AS CROSS RWY 35.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.