Narrative:

We were given taxi instructions to runway 4L, at that same time as we were maneuvering out of the FBO ramp that had vans, fuel trucks and other aircraft competing for the limited space available. As we exited the ramp, we quickly reviewed the taxi route, but I missed a key part of the instruction which said to hold short of runway 11 at taxiway south. Having been to this airport many times, the clearance was slightly different than was used previously. Fortunately, due to the WX, runway 11 was not active at the time, and no other aircraft were in the vicinity. The copilot, who had received the taxi clearance, didn't realize that there was a problem until he looked up from the charts he was preparing for departure and saw that we were halfway across runway 11. At this point I figured that it was more expeditious to continue across the runway, as it would take less time to clear and finish taxiing to hold short of the taxiway south at the point it crosses runway 11. In reviewing the situation, I would say that distrs, change in taxi routine and momentary inattn on the part of both crew members due the complex taxiway layout, departure procedures and poor WX conditions, all contributed to the miscues and confusion. As a recommendation, although it probably would not have altered the situation significantly, is that the taxiway markings are rather poor on the east side of ewr, as they are painted on the pavement with few above ground signs to guide aircraft, and I would like to see more signs above ground, in addition to the painted taxiway markers.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF SMT JET TAXIED ACROSS RWY. TAXI CLRNC HAD STIPULATED HOLD SHORT OF RWY.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO RWY 4L, AT THAT SAME TIME AS WE WERE MANEUVERING OUT OF THE FBO RAMP THAT HAD VANS, FUEL TRUCKS AND OTHER ACFT COMPETING FOR THE LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE. AS WE EXITED THE RAMP, WE QUICKLY REVIEWED THE TAXI ROUTE, BUT I MISSED A KEY PART OF THE INSTRUCTION WHICH SAID TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 11 AT TXWY S. HAVING BEEN TO THIS ARPT MANY TIMES, THE CLRNC WAS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN WAS USED PREVIOUSLY. FORTUNATELY, DUE TO THE WX, RWY 11 WAS NOT ACTIVE AT THE TIME, AND NO OTHER ACFT WERE IN THE VICINITY. THE COPLT, WHO HAD RECEIVED THE TAXI CLRNC, DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THERE WAS A PROB UNTIL HE LOOKED UP FROM THE CHARTS HE WAS PREPARING FOR DEP AND SAW THAT WE WERE HALFWAY ACROSS RWY 11. AT THIS POINT I FIGURED THAT IT WAS MORE EXPEDITIOUS TO CONTINUE ACROSS THE RWY, AS IT WOULD TAKE LESS TIME TO CLEAR AND FINISH TAXIING TO HOLD SHORT OF THE TXWY S AT THE POINT IT CROSSES RWY 11. IN REVIEWING THE SITUATION, I WOULD SAY THAT DISTRS, CHANGE IN TAXI ROUTINE AND MOMENTARY INATTN ON THE PART OF BOTH CREW MEMBERS DUE THE COMPLEX TXWY LAYOUT, DEP PROCS AND POOR WX CONDITIONS, ALL CONTRIBUTED TO THE MISCUES AND CONFUSION. AS A RECOMMENDATION, ALTHOUGH IT PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE ALTERED THE SITUATION SIGNIFICANTLY, IS THAT THE TXWY MARKINGS ARE RATHER POOR ON THE E SIDE OF EWR, AS THEY ARE PAINTED ON THE PAVEMENT WITH FEW ABOVE GND SIGNS TO GUIDE ACFT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE SIGNS ABOVE GND, IN ADDITION TO THE PAINTED TXWY MARKERS.

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.