Date: 201605
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: CLT.Airport, NC
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Night
Aircraft: Medium Large Transport
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Taxi
ATC / advisory: Tower CLT
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Workload; Troubleshooting; Distraction; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Taxi
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Contributing factors: Procedure; Human Factors; Airport
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: CLT was in late night configuration; landing and departing on only Runway 5. We were cleared for visual approach to Runway 5. CLT Tower cleared us to land on Runway 5. The controller seemed flustered with the work load of only using Runway 5 for both landings and takeoffs. During rollout after landing on Runway 5; Tower instructed us to turn left unto D; left on M; hold short of 36R. The First Officer read back instructions to turn left on D; left on M; hold short of 36R. We expedited off the runway as instructed; turning left at D; left at M; and holding short of 36R. Another aircraft was cleared for takeoff and another was cleared to land; with the Tower Controller sounding flustered with all radio calls to the aircraft on Tower frequency.The Tower Controller then told us to 'on Mike cross Runway 5' which is not possible since M does not cross Runway 5; but instead crosses Runway 36R; [the runway] we are holding short of. The First Officer responded to the Tower Controller by asking; 'confirm you want us to cross Runway 36R on Taxiway Mike' The Tower Controller responded; in a highly irritated and flustered tone 'negative cleared to cross Runway 5 on Mike'. Runway 5 was the Runway that an aircraft was currently taking off on with another landing on short final. The First Officer responded to the Tower that we were holding short of Runway 36R on Taxiway M as instructed; not short of Runway 5.I stayed put and told the First Officer we would sit there holding short of Runway 36R on Taxiway M until the Tower Controller got themselves figured out and gave us a proper clearance to cross the correct runway. After about a minute of barking orders at the other aircraft on frequency; the tower instructed us; correctly this time to 'Cross Runway 36R on Mike; taxi to the ramp' we read back the instructions; and now; having been proper clearance to cross the proper runway; we crossed Runway 36R and proceeded to the ramp without further incident.Of particular concern to me with this event is that the Tower Controller; twice in a row; even after we queried the error after the first mistake; gave us clearance to cross a runway we were not holding short of; but rather the runway that was in use with an aircraft both actively taking off and landing at that time. Runway 36R intersects Runway 5 and this could have led to a very bad situation if we or another aircraft crossed the active runway with an aircraft currently on departure roll and one on final. I believe this would be a good learning experience for the Tower Controllers in CLT since in other instances if we or another crew was not paying attention it could have led to a very bad situation.[I suggest a] better late night procedure for CLT Tower; having another controller working at that point could have helped out the controller working Tower; as they were clearly overloaded by the level of operations they were handling at the time. Have CLT Tower use this as a learning experience to better their operations.




Synopsis: Pilot reported landing at CLT then being issued incorrect crossing instructions from the Tower Controller. Pilot questioned Controller twice; then sat there until the Controller figured out where they were and corrected the instructions.