Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Engineer
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 75; Flight Crew Total 18400; Flight Crew Type 520
Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Ground Incursion Runway
Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airport; Human Factors; Procedure
The Tower issued instructions to 'taxi to Runway XX via alpha.' There is no taxiway for Runway XX so I had to back taxi on YY and upon entering the runway the Tower asked if I could take an immediate departure and I shortened my back taxi and complied because an [aircraft] was on a 2 mile dog leg final for Runway XX. After I was airborne the Tower told me that my instructions were not for me to enter the runway to back taxi. The instructions as I understood them were for me to back taxi on the runway for Runway XX.
Reporter indicated that after departure; the Tower reminded the pilot that a clearance to taxi to a runway is not a clearance to enter any runway. Since there is no taxiway from the ramp to the departure end of indicated runway; and taxiway Alpha is very short and only provides access to the opposite end of the indicated runway; the report now believes that the intent was to taxi up to and hold short and wait for clearance to back taxi to the departure end of the runway.
The pilot of a C182 attempted to back taxi to the departure end of a runway that is not serviced by a taxiway when he misunderstood the intention of the ATC clearance.