Narrative:

I called up ground while parked at the FBO; received my routing for my IFR flight; and then requested taxi to the active runway. The active runway was runway 28. The airport had most major txwys as well as another runway closed for construction; so I could see that the only way to get to the active was going to be to back-taxi from the opposite end. I received directions from ground to taxi using the taxiway I was on; and what I apparently mistakenly understood were further directions to enter runway 10 (to back-taxi to runway 28). Approaching the hold short lines of runway 10; something still didn't seem right; so I stopped; radioed ground; and announced my position at the hold short line at runway 10. The controller said; 'yes; comply with the directions.' again; I mistakenly understood this to mean that I was to back taxi. As soon as I entered runway 10; I saw a plane on high final to runway 28; and immediately realized the seriousness of my mistake. I radioed ground while at the same time making a 180 degree turn to exit the runway. The controller also radioed to immediately exit the runway; which I was already doing. I am still shaken at the seriousness and indeed potential tragic consequences of this runway incursion. I feel the ground controller's instructions were simply not clear; but I; as PIC; was absolutely responsible for every decision. I allowed my desire to appear sure of myself; and my hesitation to annoy the controller with repeated requests to interfere with the need to be crystal clear of the controller's instructions. I will definitely make sure that this never happens again!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28 PLT AT SCH MISUNDERSTOOD HIS TAXI CLRNC AND TAXIED ONTO AN ACTIVE RWY.

Narrative: I CALLED UP GND WHILE PARKED AT THE FBO; RECEIVED MY ROUTING FOR MY IFR FLT; AND THEN REQUESTED TAXI TO THE ACTIVE RWY. THE ACTIVE RWY WAS RWY 28. THE ARPT HAD MOST MAJOR TXWYS AS WELL AS ANOTHER RWY CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION; SO I COULD SEE THAT THE ONLY WAY TO GET TO THE ACTIVE WAS GOING TO BE TO BACK-TAXI FROM THE OPPOSITE END. I RECEIVED DIRECTIONS FROM GND TO TAXI USING THE TXWY I WAS ON; AND WHAT I APPARENTLY MISTAKENLY UNDERSTOOD WERE FURTHER DIRECTIONS TO ENTER RWY 10 (TO BACK-TAXI TO RWY 28). APCHING THE HOLD SHORT LINES OF RWY 10; SOMETHING STILL DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT; SO I STOPPED; RADIOED GND; AND ANNOUNCED MY POS AT THE HOLD SHORT LINE AT RWY 10. THE CTLR SAID; 'YES; COMPLY WITH THE DIRECTIONS.' AGAIN; I MISTAKENLY UNDERSTOOD THIS TO MEAN THAT I WAS TO BACK TAXI. AS SOON AS I ENTERED RWY 10; I SAW A PLANE ON HIGH FINAL TO RWY 28; AND IMMEDIATELY REALIZED THE SERIOUSNESS OF MY MISTAKE. I RADIOED GND WHILE AT THE SAME TIME MAKING A 180 DEG TURN TO EXIT THE RWY. THE CTLR ALSO RADIOED TO IMMEDIATELY EXIT THE RWY; WHICH I WAS ALREADY DOING. I AM STILL SHAKEN AT THE SERIOUSNESS AND INDEED POTENTIAL TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES OF THIS RWY INCURSION. I FEEL THE GND CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS WERE SIMPLY NOT CLR; BUT I; AS PIC; WAS ABSOLUTELY RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERY DECISION. I ALLOWED MY DESIRE TO APPEAR SURE OF MYSELF; AND MY HESITATION TO ANNOY THE CTLR WITH REPEATED REQUESTS TO INTERFERE WITH THE NEED TO BE CRYSTAL CLR OF THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS. I WILL DEFINITELY MAKE SURE THAT THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN!

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.