Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150; Flight Crew Type 2500
Confusion; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Incursion Runway
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert
Human Factors
After pushback in RNO we called Ground for taxi clearance. Ground told us to 'taxi to 16L via A; D; cross 16R. I read back the clearance and we proceeded to taxi. When we arrived the day before we both noticed the end taxiway and 16R were closed; and I expected to cross 16R and 16L at D and then proceed via C to runway 16L. I remember expecting to hear a hold short or cross 16L as part of the taxi instructions; but when I didn't hear either it just dropped from my mind. I think I expected to receive the clearance to cross from Tower later. As we approached D; Ground asked if we would like the intersection for takeoff. We replied no and asked for full length. Ground then said 'turn left on C and contact Tower.' We made the turn onto D; crossed 16R and as we approached 16L; we heard tower say 'Aircraft X; stop; stop'. The Captain stopped the aircraft immediately and we came to a stop short of the runway; but across the hold short line. A Cessna 172 was beginning its takeoff roll and took off on 16L as we were stopped. After the Cessna departed; Tower cleared us to cross 16L and proceed to the runway via C. We departed without incident. I should have queried the Ground Controller when the initial taxi instructions did not include a specific instruction to either cross or hold short of 16L. I knew we needed clearance to cross 16L; but when I heard taxi to 16L with no hold short or cross instructions; I just didn't catch the significance. I can only assume the Ground Controller expected us to depart from the 16L at D intersection; and that's why no hold short or cross instructions were given. When Ground then told us to turn left on C and contact Tower; I knew we were cleared to cross 16R; but since it was closed and barricaded; in the back of my mind I sort of discounted the clearance as a technicality. That may have influenced my situational awareness with regards to crossing 16L. Also; we had been instructed to turn left on C and I knew this was on the other side of 16L from where we were and didn't trigger the realization that we hadn't received a clearance to cross 16L.
Given taxi instructions to 'taxi to 16L via A;D; cross 16R'; First Officer repeated taxi instructions identically and Captain verbally repeated the instructions. On Taxiway A; before Taxiway D; we were asked by Ground if we could do an intersection D takeoff. First Officer responded with negative. On Taxiway A; right before Taxiway D; we were given taxi instructions to 'turn right on D; turn left on C and contact Tower'. Between Taxiway A and 16L; the Crew was completing the Before Takeoff Checklist. We were never given instructions to hold short of 16L. The Crew noticed on 10-9 page that Taxiway C was on the other side of 16L and assumed we were cleared to cross 16L; since Taxiway C was on the other side of Runway 16L. Captain looked left and saw a Cessna aircraft in position on 16L and started to slow down. The next thing we heard was 'Stop Stop' by Tower and Captain applied brakes; but had crossed the 16L hold short line by 5-10 feet. The Cessna aircraft took off. Neither aircraft had to take immediate corrective action. We crossed 16L; turned left on Taxiway C and taxied up to 16L; and were cleared for takeoff. Never assume any taxi clearance and query the Controller if not sure of instructions. The Crew assumed we were cleared to cross the runway since Taxiway C was on the opposite side of the runway. The Crew believes that the Ground Controller was predisposed that we could do a intersection D takeoff; and this was when things started to go wrong when we replied negative. The quick handover to Tower could have also contributed to the lack of hold short/cleared to cross miscommunication. The Crews situational awareness of checking the runway left and right before crossing led to them seeing the Cessna aircraft in position and started to slow prior to the hold short line; but wasn't enough to prevent crossing the hold short line.
Crew reported crossing the runway hold-short line after turning on the wrong taxiway during taxi for takeoff at Reno.