Low time pilot inadvertently taxied past runway hold line.

Attributes
ACN	122369
Time
Date	198909
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : spi
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : holding ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 60 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	122369
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After contacting clearance delivery and starting the engine, I contacted ground control, requesting progressive instructions due to my unfamiliarity with the airport. (I had explicitly stated that I was unfamiliar with the airport at the time I arrived, but did not do this as I was leaving.) ground control provided initial instructions and I began rolling towards the assigned taxiway. I quickly observed an small aircraft X, ahead of me, which had its engine running and its beacon on, and heard it talking to ground control. I chose to yield to it, out of courtesy and a belief that following it would make things simpler for me. I advised ground control that I would follow the small aircraft X, ground acknowledged and cleared the small aircraft X to taxi. I followed the small aircraft X, at about a 50' distance, until X stopped at which I initially thought was a taxiway intersection with a closed runway. After a brief delay, which I did not recognize as a pretkof runup, the small aircraft X began movement onto what was actually the active runway. I began to follow and stopped when I realized that the small aircraft X was on the active runway and taking off. I had been expecting instructions from ground control. I did not notice the hold line because of glare from the sun reflection off of the surface, and because the markings were faded. (In short, poor contrast.) at this point ground called to say that I was past the hold line. Ground control told me to hold position and contact the tower. I did so, stating that I was ready for takeoff. The tower immediately cleared me for takeoff and I then taxied fully onto the runway and proceeded, all further actions were normal. To the best of my knowledge, my having crossed the hold line did not cause any other aircraft to alter its course or normal actions. I believe only the small aircraft X and myself were under tower control at the time. All I feel qualified to say is that I think the runway markings need repainting. I do not know if the FAA intends any action at this point.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW TIME PLT INADVERTENTLY TAXIED PAST RWY HOLD LINE.

Narrative: AFTER CONTACTING CLRNC DELIVERY AND STARTING THE ENGINE, I CONTACTED GND CTL, REQUESTING PROGRESSIVE INSTRUCTIONS DUE TO MY UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE ARPT. (I HAD EXPLICITLY STATED THAT I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT AT THE TIME I ARRIVED, BUT DID NOT DO THIS AS I WAS LEAVING.) GND CTL PROVIDED INITIAL INSTRUCTIONS AND I BEGAN ROLLING TOWARDS THE ASSIGNED TXWY. I QUICKLY OBSERVED AN SMA X, AHEAD OF ME, WHICH HAD ITS ENGINE RUNNING AND ITS BEACON ON, AND HEARD IT TALKING TO GND CTL. I CHOSE TO YIELD TO IT, OUT OF COURTESY AND A BELIEF THAT FOLLOWING IT WOULD MAKE THINGS SIMPLER FOR ME. I ADVISED GND CTL THAT I WOULD FOLLOW THE SMA X, GND ACKNOWLEDGED AND CLRED THE SMA X TO TAXI. I FOLLOWED THE SMA X, AT ABOUT A 50' DISTANCE, UNTIL X STOPPED AT WHICH I INITIALLY THOUGHT WAS A TXWY INTXN WITH A CLOSED RWY. AFTER A BRIEF DELAY, WHICH I DID NOT RECOGNIZE AS A PRETKOF RUNUP, THE SMA X BEGAN MOVEMENT ONTO WHAT WAS ACTUALLY THE ACTIVE RWY. I BEGAN TO FOLLOW AND STOPPED WHEN I REALIZED THAT THE SMA X WAS ON THE ACTIVE RWY AND TAKING OFF. I HAD BEEN EXPECTING INSTRUCTIONS FROM GND CTL. I DID NOT NOTICE THE HOLD LINE BECAUSE OF GLARE FROM THE SUN REFLECTION OFF OF THE SURFACE, AND BECAUSE THE MARKINGS WERE FADED. (IN SHORT, POOR CONTRAST.) AT THIS POINT GND CALLED TO SAY THAT I WAS PAST THE HOLD LINE. GND CTL TOLD ME TO HOLD POSITION AND CONTACT THE TWR. I DID SO, STATING THAT I WAS READY FOR TKOF. THE TWR IMMEDIATELY CLRED ME FOR TKOF AND I THEN TAXIED FULLY ONTO THE RWY AND PROCEEDED, ALL FURTHER ACTIONS WERE NORMAL. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, MY HAVING CROSSED THE HOLD LINE DID NOT CAUSE ANY OTHER ACFT TO ALTER ITS COURSE OR NORMAL ACTIONS. I BELIEVE ONLY THE SMA X AND MYSELF WERE UNDER TWR CTL AT THE TIME. ALL I FEEL QUALIFIED TO SAY IS THAT I THINK THE RWY MARKINGS NEED REPAINTING. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE FAA INTENDS ANY ACTION AT THIS POINT.

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.