Small transport taxis to wrong runway in visibility of one sixteenth of a mile at smf.

Attributes
ACN	130571
Time
Date	198912
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smf
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : anc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3200 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	130571
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3500
ASRS Report	131011
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Both first officer and I believed we were cleared to taxi to runway 16L. I had the taxi chart out, but due to severely reduced visibility, I was more concerned with staying on the pavement than looking at the chart. Due to the antiquated radios in the aircraft, I was unable to hear the first officer's responses to ATC; I could only hear ATC's end of the conversation. We were advised to report specific turns on txwys, which we believed we did. We were also told to report passing hotel when we made it to the end of the runway. We advised the tower of this and that we didn't see hotel. After performing an engine runup, I asked the first officer to confirm the visibility with tower for runway 16L. When tower did not respond to his xmissions, I tried myself, and I was advised it was 1/16TH prevailing with no RVR for 16L. I said this was below our takeoff minimums and requested taxi back to the gate. At this point, I believe both tower and I realized there was a mixup of some sort. We were then instructed to taxi back to the gate. The flight was subsequently cancelled because of the reduced takeoff visibility.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT TAXIS TO WRONG RWY IN VISIBILITY OF ONE SIXTEENTH OF A MILE AT SMF.

Narrative: BOTH F/O AND I BELIEVED WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 16L. I HAD THE TAXI CHART OUT, BUT DUE TO SEVERELY REDUCED VISIBILITY, I WAS MORE CONCERNED WITH STAYING ON THE PAVEMENT THAN LOOKING AT THE CHART. DUE TO THE ANTIQUATED RADIOS IN THE ACFT, I WAS UNABLE TO HEAR THE F/O'S RESPONSES TO ATC; I COULD ONLY HEAR ATC'S END OF THE CONVERSATION. WE WERE ADVISED TO RPT SPECIFIC TURNS ON TXWYS, WHICH WE BELIEVED WE DID. WE WERE ALSO TOLD TO RPT PASSING HOTEL WHEN WE MADE IT TO THE END OF THE RWY. WE ADVISED THE TWR OF THIS AND THAT WE DIDN'T SEE HOTEL. AFTER PERFORMING AN ENG RUNUP, I ASKED THE F/O TO CONFIRM THE VISIBILITY WITH TWR FOR RWY 16L. WHEN TWR DID NOT RESPOND TO HIS XMISSIONS, I TRIED MYSELF, AND I WAS ADVISED IT WAS 1/16TH PREVAILING WITH NO RVR FOR 16L. I SAID THIS WAS BELOW OUR TKOF MINIMUMS AND REQUESTED TAXI BACK TO THE GATE. AT THIS POINT, I BELIEVE BOTH TWR AND I REALIZED THERE WAS A MIXUP OF SOME SORT. WE WERE THEN INSTRUCTED TO TAXI BACK TO THE GATE. THE FLT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CANCELLED BECAUSE OF THE REDUCED TKOF VISIBILITY.

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.