Narrative:

I had just landed on runway 13, and was instructed by the tower to, 'turn right at the next intersection on runway 22; contact ground point niner when clear.' the intersection is of 2 runways and a taxiway. In my haste to clear the runway (the tower had added, 'no delay, traffic short final'), I became confused as to which way to taxi. I called the tower, 'which way from here?' his response was quick and urgent: 'taxi southeast on 22, no delay.' now I was completely baffled (how do you taxi southeast on runway 22?), and the controller sounded like I had to leave where I was (in the intersection, but clear of 13). The landing traffic was still on short final, so I hit the throttle and back-taxied 22--across the active. The landing traffic touched down after I'd cleared the runway, but not long after. The single most important causative factor was my own lack of preparation--I had no chart of the airport layout with me, nor had I studied one beforehand. Another contributing factor was the signage at the intersection. In the press of the moment (all those 'no delays' ringing in my ears), I looked around and could see no sign to tell me how to get where I needed to be. There were signs further up the runway, but if there were signs in the intersection itself, I couldn't find them in a hurry. Finally, the last stir of confusion was given by the controller's instruction to taxi southeast on a northeast/southwest runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA LNDG AT MSN BECAME CONFUSED AS TO WHERE HE WAS ON THE ARPT AND FURTHER CONFUSED BY TWR CTLR INSTRUCTIONS. CROSSED THE ACTIVE RWY AS ANOTHER ACFT LANDED.

Narrative: I HAD JUST LANDED ON RWY 13, AND WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE TWR TO, 'TURN RIGHT AT THE NEXT INTXN ON RWY 22; CONTACT GND POINT NINER WHEN CLR.' THE INTXN IS OF 2 RWYS AND A TXWY. IN MY HASTE TO CLR THE RWY (THE TWR HAD ADDED, 'NO DELAY, TFC SHORT FINAL'), I BECAME CONFUSED AS TO WHICH WAY TO TAXI. I CALLED THE TWR, 'WHICH WAY FROM HERE?' HIS RESPONSE WAS QUICK AND URGENT: 'TAXI SE ON 22, NO DELAY.' NOW I WAS COMPLETELY BAFFLED (HOW DO YOU TAXI SE ON RWY 22?), AND THE CTLR SOUNDED LIKE I HAD TO LEAVE WHERE I WAS (IN THE INTXN, BUT CLR OF 13). THE LNDG TFC WAS STILL ON SHORT FINAL, SO I HIT THE THROTTLE AND BACK-TAXIED 22--ACROSS THE ACTIVE. THE LNDG TFC TOUCHED DOWN AFTER I'D CLRED THE RWY, BUT NOT LONG AFTER. THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT CAUSATIVE FACTOR WAS MY OWN LACK OF PREPARATION--I HAD NO CHART OF THE ARPT LAYOUT WITH ME, NOR HAD I STUDIED ONE BEFOREHAND. ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE SIGNAGE AT THE INTXN. IN THE PRESS OF THE MOMENT (ALL THOSE 'NO DELAYS' RINGING IN MY EARS), I LOOKED AROUND AND COULD SEE NO SIGN TO TELL ME HOW TO GET WHERE I NEEDED TO BE. THERE WERE SIGNS FURTHER UP THE RWY, BUT IF THERE WERE SIGNS IN THE INTXN ITSELF, I COULDN'T FIND THEM IN A HURRY. FINALLY, THE LAST STIR OF CONFUSION WAS GIVEN BY THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTION TO TAXI SE ON A NE/SW RWY.

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.