Medium Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Ground Incursion Runway; Ground Incursion Taxiway
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Airport; Chart Or Publication; Human Factors; Procedure
We were departing ORD. We got off the gate on time and had a long taxi towards the North Port. At the North Port we waited for taxi instructions from ground control. He cleared us via a right turn onto taxiway Gulf. Both my First Officer and I wrote these instructions on our scratch paper. When I looked across the ramp towards taxiway Gulf it appeared that I had to go through the intersection straight ahead to enter Gulf. I proceeded forward into the intersection thinking I was about to enter taxiway Gulf. To my horror I realized that I had just crossed onto Runway 9R which was an active runway. I tried to make a 180 degree turn back to the right but my forward progress had already taken me onto the runway. So I stopped and waited for ground control to move us out of the way. Ground Control then taxied us down the runway to exit onto taxiway Mike and then over to the A Pad. Not exactly sure where the A Pad was at this point we made another wrong turn on taxiway Gulf. Ground Control then directed us to the Penalty Box where we regrouped. None of this would have happened if I had realized that taxiway Gulf ran parallel to and on the North end of the ramp. From my perspective the airport signage was confusing and contributed somewhat to the event. My taxi chart was open and available on my Electronic Flight Bag; however with the chart at full magnification it can still be difficult to understand. If our EFB would have had the GPS taxi information available to me I doubt seriously this event would have ever happened. Threats include a high workload environment; rapid and consuming clearances from controllers; poor signage; poor taxi charts; and division of duties within the cockpit. As for me better situational awareness of runways. The company could improve our Electronic Flight Bag capabilities. ATC could issue our clearances slower and more user friendly.
We operated Aircraft X from ORD. We planned and programmed FMS for runway 9R for ORD 5 departure and briefed it. We pushed back from gate and ramp control instructed us to taxi to North port and contact ground control at north port. At north port after 10 minutes of wait ground control advised us of runway 10L/DD for takeoff and gave taxi instructions to taxi right on G; G2; A and short of A 20 for runway 10L. We both CA (PF) (Captain; Pilot Flying) and FO (PM) (First Officer; Pilot Monitoring) copied taxiway instructions on our note pads. I then proceeded to make runway change programming into the FMS and CA started to taxi the aircraft. It took me hardly 30 seconds to re program the FMS and I noticed that instead of the taxiway we were on a runway. I was confused and shocked as to what was happening; and I again looked outside around to see if I am having an illusion and to my surprise when I saw runway markings and distance markers on the edges I quickly got assured that we are in fact on a runway and not the taxiway. I immediately alerted the Captain that he is on runway and not taxiway. When he realized his error he stopped the aircraft on halfway between taxiway A1 Intersection to runway 9R. I asked the CA to make a 180 turn and quickly exit the runway. CA started the turn and due to not having enough room to turn we ended up stopped facing the grass median. I immediately advised the ground controller about our inadvertent error of runway incursion. The ground controller asked us what are we doing and told us that we have entered into an active runway 9R; and gave us instruction to quickly exit the runway by taxiing on to runway 9R and exit next taxiway M to the right and then turn left on G and proceed to B Pad. In the heat of matter and rush; we both being flustered and confused; we exited the runway on M and instead of making left on G we made a right on G thus facing away from B pad. To this the ground controller came back on the radio and told us to proceed on G towards taxiway B to the penalty box and await further instructions. After 15 minutes in the penalty box; ground controller advised to copy down a number and call his supervisor after landing. And further that he will be giving us progressive taxi instructions. We were then given taxi instructions to runway 10L/DD. We very carefully briefed our taxi route and departure again and verified in the FMS all the way points and very carefully taxied to the runway and departed safely. Upon our safe arrival and terminating the flight the CA called the given number and talked to the supervising authority and apologized and admitted to the inadvertent error of runway incursion made by us. I FO very seldom fly to ORD and therefore my unfamiliarity of the airport and taxiways became a factor in situational awareness and the threat of runway change and programming the FMS for even 30 seconds resulted in an error; threat and an undesired aircraft state of a runway incursion. On the other hand even the CA being an experienced veteran and regular at flying to ORD; inadvertently misjudged and by mistake mistook an active runway for a taxiway under the pressure of avoiding moving ground traffic around and time constraints and all these threats honestly resulted in an inadvertent runway incursion. Always deal with changes on ground while still parked with parking brake on and re verify the changes in the FMS and re-brief the change in taxi routes by actually verifying the taxi routes and verbalize every coming turn or taxiway by both crew members to keep a shared mental model; plan and thought process. Company can help us by activating the moving maps on our EFB's to further enhance our situational awareness on the ground and in the flight. Thanks.
Air Carrier flight crew reported runway incursion due to confusion with signage; EFB; and ATC delivery.