Air taxi crew reported a runway incursion during daylight VMC when turning onto an incorrect parallel runway for taxi; when landing aircraft where still on the runway. The controller immediately directed the flight off the runway and the crew turned around and exited the runway; then received a new taxi clearance.
Synopsis
Air taxi crew reported a runway incursion during daylight VMC when turning onto an incorrect parallel runway for taxi; when landing aircraft where still on the runway. The controller immediately directed the flight off the runway and the crew turned around and exited the runway; then received a new taxi clearance.
Narrative
At SFO we received a clearance to taxi from the Ramp via Charlie; Zulu; hold short of Bravo 1. I was assigned as PIC and was acting as Pilot Monitoring sitting in the right seat. I have been to SFO many times and this is the clearance I was expecting. We proceeded to taxi Charlie; Zulu and as we were almost at Sierra we received a command to taxi Sierra. The SIC (Pilot Flying) was able to brake enough to make the left turn at Sierra. I reminded the Pilot Flying to stop short of S2/S3 as our clearance limit was 'Sierra'. The controller was very busy and after a while; not sure how long; we received a clearance to 'proceed onto 10R; Echo; Alpha; Alpha 1. We released the brakes and via S2 turned Left onto 28R/10L followed by a 'STOP! ...GET OFF THE RUNWAY ....MAKE A LEFT TURN EXIT THE RUNWAY.....TURN LEFT EXIT THE RUNWAY' from the controller. We immediately made a tight 180 turn and exited the runway right away. We received further taxi clearance and a phone number and instructions to call the Tower via phone on Bravo short of F1.We; 2 high time experienced Captains familiar with SFO; had caused a runway incursion. This is unthinkable... After a lot of thinking and a fair amount of research about this; I believe there are several factors in play here: I think we as a crew fell hard into an Expectation Bias:I've spent a good deal of time researching Expectation Bias and have discussed this at length with my other crew member and our company management team in order to work on solutions for mitigating cognitive biases in the future.The Pilot Flying has a different view of what happened... We both made the same mistake for different reasons. I think SFO Ground control could have used verbiage and complete instructions:The active runways were 28R; 1L and 1R. To give instructions for Runway 10 created uncertainty.The clearance limit of taxi Sierra left uncertainty...especially when cleared to proceed onto the runway without using 'via Sierra 3'. From Sierra; Runway 10R is not visible and would require a further taxi; we proceeded onto the nearest runway. When cleared to taxi Sierra; it might have been more clear to get a clearance to taxi Sierra; S3 hold short of 10R.orWhen cleared 'to proceed on runway 10' it would have been more clear to: taxi S3 and onto 10R.I am not for a minute trying to point blame to the controllers; we are the pilots who taxied onto an active runway; but offering a suggestion to help preclude re-occurrence at the same location.We as pilots are learning more about expectation bias and developing systems to mitigate it and hopefully prevent future incidents. I have recommended this to our company and have shared this incident with our entire pilot staff.
Second reporter narrative
I was operating Aircraft X as company assigned SIC. I was occupying the Left Seat at the time. The company assigned PIC (an equally experienced pilot) was occupying the RH seat. We had just arrived from ZZZ. I had landed at SFO on the active runway Two Eight Right (28R). The NOTAMs for the airport had indicated the Runway Two Eight Left (28L) was closed. The ATIS for the airport indicated runway 28R was in use; also that 28L was closed. Now; there was a lot more information given on the NOTAMs and on the ATIS; but there's a tendency to consider only those things which are relevant to the current flight and conditions.Now; I'm very familiar with this airport; the runway configurations and taxiways. Landing on 28R was my preference; as it's an easy taxi to get to the ramp (our destination on the airport). After an uneventful arrival; the passengers disembarked and we were next to proceed to ZZZ1. We were now empty of passengers. We had picked up our flight clearance and were ready to taxi. The instructions were: TAXI One Right (1R) via Charlie (C); Zulu (Z); Hold short of Bravo One (B1). Now; this was a clearance that I was very familiar with and had done many times before. As we crossed the outer boundary of Runway 28 Right on (Z); I could see aircraft in the distance lined up to land on 28R. As we were taxiing my Right seater (PIC) was explaining to me that he had been here a few days prior and due to the new construction; at some point he had to taxi on to the runway to get to his departure runway of 1R (same as this day). I remarked: 'That'll be interesting; I've never had to do that here before'. Next we were given instructions to make the turn on to Sierra (S). I had to apply brakes quickly as the instructions to turn were given as we were almost passing (S). Now; I was in new territory. I'd been to SFO many times; but had never been in this position between the runways before. I was not situational confused. I-pad tablets and Fore flight taxi positions were available. I knew exactly where I was; but had never been given these taxi instructions before. When the Ground Controller said: 'Taxi on S'; we as crew; then discussed that our clearance limit ended when (S) ended. So; I stopped our taxi just before the split of Sierra One Two (S2) and Sierra Three (S3). My Right Seater mentioned again; to stop short of S2; as I may have to make a left turn onto the runway. I stopped to give myself enough room to make the left turn. We then held our position short of S2; S3 as the controller was communicating with many other aircraft. It was a busy; clear; beautiful day. We patiently waited. My recollection was that it was quiet in the cockpit as we awaited our instructions. At that time; we were adjacent to the closed runway; 28L. There were runway closed markings (Big 'X') all lit up and flashing. I could also see other indications of construction on the closed runway. I did not see any aircraft on the closed runway. After that long pause; maybe more than a minute; were then given instructions to proceed on to One Zero Right (10R) Echo (E); Alpha (A); Alpha One (A1). Which meant that our clearance limit was now A1. When; I made the Left turn on to the Right runway; I didn't yet realize that a mistake had been made. After all; I was briefed that the Left runways was closed; all the closed signs illuminated; no other aircraft on the runway; discussions of possible Left turn on to the runway. I also; had the expectation to have to taxi onto the runway; due to the closure of the Left runway. At that moment I didn't see any other way to get to our assigned runway. It all made sense to me. While taxiing on to the runway; I could see an aircraft ahead; exiting the runway. That made sense; because the runway would become clear for us. I could see aircraft in the distance lined up to land; but way out there. Again; everything made sense. Suddenly; I heard: '(Our call sign)' 'STOP!' 'EXIT THE RUNWAY!' ' TURN LEFT AND IMMEDIATELY EXITTHE RUNWAY!' Which I did very quickly; still not realizing that the mistake made; was mine. After all; he had instructed me to proceed on to the Right Runway; that was the Runway that I had just landed on…. Oops! Oh no! Did he say to proceed on to One Zero Right (10R). Was that the verbiage? Oh; [expletive]. Suddenly; I realized what he had said and what he had meant. Proceed on to 10R; which is the reciprocal of 28L (the closed runway). Up to that point; I hadn't heard one zero (10) mentioned at all. It suddenly hit me. Now; I knew what had happened. We were then given instructions to proceed to our departure runway with a short hold. The controller eventually said: 'POSSIBLE PILOT DEVIATION; PLEASE CONTACT THE TOWER AS SOON AS PRACTICAL' and we were given a phone number to call before we continued.I was not privy to the phone call; as it was made by the PIC. But; we were told that we taxied on to an active runway and that there would be a follow up. The PIC for the flight gave the controller his name; certificate no. and a phone number for a follow up.I'm still wrestling with the event and considering what we; as crew; could have done differently. In retrospect; I wish that the controller's instructions were more definitive. We were holding on S; which meant that we would have to enter S2 or S3. S3 would have taken us to the closed Runway. 'Proceed S3 to enter 10R' would have been more precise. I'm sure; that alone would have changed our route. Also; the use of 10R instead of 28L in our clearance; when the active runway was actually 28R would have been a benefit. In closing this narrative; we as a company are addressing this issue and will discuss this with the other staff pilots. I'm sure that we will be changing our SOP's to institute new procedures.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.