Ground controller described an unauthorized runway entry event involving a FAA maintenance vehicle r...

Narrative:

FAA vehicle contacted ground requesting to check the 9R MALSR lights to ensure they were working. The vehicle was positioned in the grass beside the MALSR shack next to sierra 1 taxiway. I instructed the vehicle to proceed via sierra; romeo; cross runway one-eight (18). Runway 18 was under ground control authority. At the time of the vehicle request; the ASOS alarm was activating due to being out of service. It had been going off for several minutes and I turned my attention to the ASOS panel in an attempt to deactivate the alarm. As I turned back toward where the vehicle was working; I noticed they had proceeded onto runway 9R between romeo and runway 18. I immediately notified my local controller and he approved the vehicle's position with further instruction to ensure the vehicle remained west of runway 18. I immediately notified the vehicle to do as directed by local. Since the vehicle didn't request to proceed onto runway 9R; I didn't provide a clearance or instruct them to remain short. I assumed the vehicle would proceed to a point short of runway 9R to visually check the MALSR lights. There was no air traffic working the runway during this event. I realized I should never assume what the vehicle was intending to do. I will direct the vehicle to proceed to the requested position by issuing positive control of the vehicles route.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Ground Controller described an unauthorized runway entry event involving a FAA Maintenance vehicle requesting a MALSR light check; the reporter acknowledging less than positive communication with the vehicle.

Narrative: FAA Vehicle contacted Ground requesting to check the 9R MALSR Lights to ensure they were working. The vehicle was positioned in the grass beside the MALSR shack next to Sierra 1 Taxiway. I instructed the vehicle to proceed via Sierra; Romeo; Cross Runway One-Eight (18). Runway 18 was under Ground Control authority. At the time of the vehicle request; the ASOS alarm was activating due to being out of service. It had been going off for several minutes and I turned my attention to the ASOS panel in an attempt to deactivate the alarm. As I turned back toward where the vehicle was working; I noticed they had proceeded onto Runway 9R between Romeo and Runway 18. I immediately notified my Local Controller and he approved the vehicle's position with further instruction to ensure the vehicle remained west of Runway 18. I immediately notified the vehicle to do as directed by Local. Since the vehicle didn't request to proceed onto Runway 9R; I didn't provide a clearance or instruct them to remain short. I assumed the vehicle would proceed to a point short of Runway 9R to visually check the MALSR lights. There was no air traffic working the runway during this event. I realized I should never assume what the vehicle was intending to do. I will direct the vehicle to proceed to the requested position by issuing positive control of the vehicles route.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	983627
Time
Date	201112
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	No Aircraft
Person 1
Function	Ground
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Developmental
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Clearance

Ground controller described an unauthorized runway entry event involving a FAA maintenance vehicle requesting a MALSR light check; the reporter acknowledging less than positive communication with the vehicle.