Narrative:

I received taxi instructions from hou ground control to proceed to runway 12R via delta taxiway (see diagram). Then ground control assigned me to, 'now follow the red centerline.' I complied with the follow up instructions which were to, 'hold short runway 12L and contact hou tower.' at this time I was maintaining the red centerline and observed the hold short sign (ie, with white characters on a red sign face) and hold short lines (2 continuous and dashed lines, spaced 6' between lines, perpendicular to the taxiway centerline), re: aim paragraph 60(I). At this time my copilot switched to hou tower and informed the tower we were 'holding short of runway 12L.' the tower instructed us to 'cross runway 12L, hold short runway 12R.' I continued taxiing across runway 12L, and followed the red centerline as assigned. I observed the hold short sign and lines for runway 17 and stopped the airplane. My copilot reported 'holding short runway 17.' the tower cleared us to 'taxi across runway 17, hold short of runway 12R.' I continued to taxi across runway 17 and followed the red centerline. I was making the left curve on taxiway east to find the hold short lines. No hold short lines or signs were observed. I was attempting to come to a full stop when the tower controller suddenly ordered us to cross 12R and proceed across, and make a 180 degree turn and hold short. I complied. The controller cleared us into position and 'hold runway 12R, hold northwest of runway 17.' I complied and responded with, 'understand and position and hold 12R, hold northwest of runway 17.' the controller then cleared us for takeoff runway 12R. The problem is that there are no hold short lines or signs between runway 17 and runway 12R, to hold short of runway 12R. It is impossible for a transient operator to know that he is about to cross only the inactive part of an active runway. After investigation I found that the red centerline, clearly a non standard condition, is a local airport presentation to line aircraft into the approach the approach end of the runway 12R for takeoff. The runway has a displaced threshold of 1100' to accommodate the aircraft awaiting takeoff. This information is not indicated on any advisories, ie, ATIS, NOTAMS, taxi diagrams, or aim. Clearly this is an ambiguous design problem that could compromise safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT TYPE ACFT TAXIED PAST END OF RWY WHEN CLRNC HAD BEEN TO HOLD SHORT.

Narrative: I RECEIVED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS FROM HOU GND CTL TO PROCEED TO RWY 12R VIA DELTA TXWY (SEE DIAGRAM). THEN GND CTL ASSIGNED ME TO, 'NOW FOLLOW THE RED CENTERLINE.' I COMPLIED WITH THE FOLLOW UP INSTRUCTIONS WHICH WERE TO, 'HOLD SHORT RWY 12L AND CONTACT HOU TWR.' AT THIS TIME I WAS MAINTAINING THE RED CENTERLINE AND OBSERVED THE HOLD SHORT SIGN (IE, WITH WHITE CHARACTERS ON A RED SIGN FACE) AND HOLD SHORT LINES (2 CONTINUOUS AND DASHED LINES, SPACED 6' BTWN LINES, PERPENDICULAR TO THE TXWY CENTERLINE), RE: AIM PARAGRAPH 60(I). AT THIS TIME MY COPLT SWITCHED TO HOU TWR AND INFORMED THE TWR WE WERE 'HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 12L.' THE TWR INSTRUCTED US TO 'CROSS RWY 12L, HOLD SHORT RWY 12R.' I CONTINUED TAXIING ACROSS RWY 12L, AND FOLLOWED THE RED CENTERLINE AS ASSIGNED. I OBSERVED THE HOLD SHORT SIGN AND LINES FOR RWY 17 AND STOPPED THE AIRPLANE. MY COPLT RPTED 'HOLDING SHORT RWY 17.' THE TWR CLRED US TO 'TAXI ACROSS RWY 17, HOLD SHORT OF RWY 12R.' I CONTINUED TO TAXI ACROSS RWY 17 AND FOLLOWED THE RED CENTERLINE. I WAS MAKING THE LEFT CURVE ON TXWY E TO FIND THE HOLD SHORT LINES. NO HOLD SHORT LINES OR SIGNS WERE OBSERVED. I WAS ATTEMPTING TO COME TO A FULL STOP WHEN THE TWR CTLR SUDDENLY ORDERED US TO CROSS 12R AND PROCEED ACROSS, AND MAKE A 180 DEG TURN AND HOLD SHORT. I COMPLIED. THE CTLR CLRED US INTO POS AND 'HOLD RWY 12R, HOLD NW OF RWY 17.' I COMPLIED AND RESPONDED WITH, 'UNDERSTAND AND POS AND HOLD 12R, HOLD NW OF RWY 17.' THE CTLR THEN CLRED US FOR TKOF RWY 12R. THE PROB IS THAT THERE ARE NO HOLD SHORT LINES OR SIGNS BTWN RWY 17 AND RWY 12R, TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 12R. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR A TRANSIENT OPERATOR TO KNOW THAT HE IS ABOUT TO CROSS ONLY THE INACTIVE PART OF AN ACTIVE RWY. AFTER INVESTIGATION I FOUND THAT THE RED CENTERLINE, CLEARLY A NON STANDARD CONDITION, IS A LCL ARPT PRESENTATION TO LINE ACFT INTO THE APCH THE APCH END OF THE RWY 12R FOR TKOF. THE RWY HAS A DISPLACED THRESHOLD OF 1100' TO ACCOMMODATE THE ACFT AWAITING TKOF. THIS INFO IS NOT INDICATED ON ANY ADVISORIES, IE, ATIS, NOTAMS, TAXI DIAGRAMS, OR AIM. CLEARLY THIS IS AN AMBIGUOUS DESIGN PROB THAT COULD COMPROMISE SAFETY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.