Narrative:

After landing on runway 26R at atl our flight was instructed to hold short of 26L upon clearing runway at taxiway B5/B4. A commuter aircraft was holding on E5 beyond 26L. I mistakenly assumed that the aircraft was holding short of 26L and I aimed to hold behind it. As I crossed the actual hold short marking for 26L on B4 I was alerted by the first officer and tower local controller simultaneously. I stopped the aircraft at the edge of the runway as we observed an air carrier large transport passing overhead, having taken off downfield on runway 26L. My perception of my position was distorted by my assumptions as to the position of the commuter aircraft relative to the runway (26L). Also the broad expanse of concrete at B4/26L intersection was misleading as it blended in visually with the surface of the runway. My attention was finally alerted by the white lights and markings at the edge of the runway. Supplemental information from acn 171829: after clearing the runway captain called flaps up and after landing check. I performed my duties and was going through checklist when I realized we had crossed the hold short line. I alerted the captain at the same time tower did that we were to hold short. The white runway markings alerted us that we were approaching the runway. Would recommend better markings at this intersection.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY INCURSION. UNAUTH RWY ENTRY CREATES A POTENTIAL GND-AIR CONFLICT WITH DEP TRAFFIC.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG ON RWY 26R AT ATL OUR FLT WAS INSTRUCTED TO HOLD SHORT OF 26L UPON CLRING RWY AT TXWY B5/B4. A COMMUTER ACFT WAS HOLDING ON E5 BEYOND 26L. I MISTAKENLY ASSUMED THAT THE ACFT WAS HOLDING SHORT OF 26L AND I AIMED TO HOLD BEHIND IT. AS I CROSSED THE ACTUAL HOLD SHORT MARKING FOR 26L ON B4 I WAS ALERTED BY THE F/O AND TWR LCL CTLR SIMULTANEOUSLY. I STOPPED THE ACFT AT THE EDGE OF THE RWY AS WE OBSERVED AN ACR LGT PASSING OVERHEAD, HAVING TAKEN OFF DOWNFIELD ON RWY 26L. MY PERCEPTION OF MY POS WAS DISTORTED BY MY ASSUMPTIONS AS TO THE POS OF THE COMMUTER ACFT RELATIVE TO THE RWY (26L). ALSO THE BROAD EXPANSE OF CONCRETE AT B4/26L INTXN WAS MISLEADING AS IT BLENDED IN VISUALLY WITH THE SURFACE OF THE RWY. MY ATTN WAS FINALLY ALERTED BY THE WHITE LIGHTS AND MARKINGS AT THE EDGE OF THE RWY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 171829: AFTER CLRING THE RWY CAPT CALLED FLAPS UP AND AFTER LNDG CHK. I PERFORMED MY DUTIES AND WAS GOING THROUGH CHKLIST WHEN I REALIZED WE HAD CROSSED THE HOLD SHORT LINE. I ALERTED THE CAPT AT THE SAME TIME TWR DID THAT WE WERE TO HOLD SHORT. THE WHITE RWY MARKINGS ALERTED US THAT WE WERE APCHING THE RWY. WOULD RECOMMEND BETTER MARKINGS AT THIS INTXN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.