Tower, Why Should I Do What You Say?

The following events were recently reported, for the same location, over a four-month period. They may (but I hope not) be representative of a more widespread malaise.

— The pilot of a private Cessna 172 reported to the tower controller that he was ready for takeoff. The controller instructed the pilot to hold short of Runway 25 because there was traffic on final approach. The pilot of the Cessna did not hold at the hold-short line, however, and began to taxi onto the runway. The controller overshot the aircraft on final and stopped the 172.

— The pilot of a Cessna 152 was cleared by the tower controller to land on Runway 30 and to hold short of Runway 25. The pilot acknowledged the clearance and the hold-short restriction. However, the aircraft taxied past the hold-short line at the same time as a Cessna 172 was conducting a touch-and-go on Runway 25. The tower controller initially stopped the Cessna 152 and then told it to proceed across Runway 07/25. The other Cessna carried on without risk of collision.

— The tower controller cleared a Cessna 172 to taxi to position onto Runway 25. Moments later, a Cessna 152 landed on Runway 30 and the controller cleared it to cross Runway 25, at the end of the runway. The pilot of the 172, however, commenced takeoff from Runway 25 without clearance just as the Cessna 152 was crossing the end of the runway.

— The pilot of a Cessna 172 was instructed to taxi to position on Runway 12. The pilot took off, however, without clearance.

— A Cessna 172 had been cleared to land on Runway 30 with an instruction to hold short of Runway 07/25 because of other traffic on that runway. The pilot, however, did not stop and crossed the hold-short line by about 75 ft.; the controller overshot two other aircraft on final for Runway 25.

These events did not result in an accident but are true to the most basic runway incursion blunders. Do you think you could make the same mistakes these pilots did?