Narrative:

Pilot backgnd experience with major airports (day and night) for 8 yrs. Raleigh, washington, baltimore, newark, teterboro, st louis, toronto, miami...etc. Narrative: please refer to the diagram. 1) our airplane parked at FBO. Airport diagram reviewed (unfamiliar with charlotte airport). Instructed by ground controller to taxi to runway 18L. 2) taxiing area is dark, yellow lines can hardly be seen (very faint), I only saw the D3-D4 sign ahead (sign of taxi D is hidden by the parked airplane). 3) stopped at this point. I still do not see 'D' sign (I already passed it without knowing). The taxiway blue lights are very dim and far apart. The ground controller asked me to turn right to go to taxiway delta. I turned right to taxiway D4 (instead of D) and I continued on, thinking that D4 will shortly lead to D. I saw the runway sign but I thought that the runway is still beyond delta. I saw no airplane coming from the right. 4) I turned right on runway 18L thinking that it is taxiway delta. Immediately, I realized that is the runway. I saw bright light far ahead (most likely was an airplane at the end of the runway in 'position and hold' ready for takeoff, but it was not moving). 5) I immediately took an evasive action by turning sharply to the right to a grass area at the edge of the runway. The ground controller asked me if I am on the runway, and I answer 'yes, but I am getting off.' the other airplane did not move (probably by instruction from the tower). 6) I got off the runway, taxied on delta on to alpha, then left on alpha and I held position. I was instructed by the ground controller to taxi back to the ramp and call the tower by phone, which I did. I gave the requested information. I then proceeded to fly my original IFR plan.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA TAXIING AT NIGHT AT CLT ARPT ENTERED ACTIVE RWY 18/36.

Narrative: PLT BACKGND EXPERIENCE WITH MAJOR ARPTS (DAY AND NIGHT) FOR 8 YRS. RALEIGH, WASHINGTON, BALTIMORE, NEWARK, TETERBORO, ST LOUIS, TORONTO, MIAMI...ETC. NARRATIVE: PLEASE REFER TO THE DIAGRAM. 1) OUR AIRPLANE PARKED AT FBO. ARPT DIAGRAM REVIEWED (UNFAMILIAR WITH CHARLOTTE ARPT). INSTRUCTED BY GND CTLR TO TAXI TO RWY 18L. 2) TAXIING AREA IS DARK, YELLOW LINES CAN HARDLY BE SEEN (VERY FAINT), I ONLY SAW THE D3-D4 SIGN AHEAD (SIGN OF TAXI D IS HIDDEN BY THE PARKED AIRPLANE). 3) STOPPED AT THIS POINT. I STILL DO NOT SEE 'D' SIGN (I ALREADY PASSED IT WITHOUT KNOWING). THE TAXIWAY BLUE LIGHTS ARE VERY DIM AND FAR APART. THE GND CTLR ASKED ME TO TURN R TO GO TO TAXIWAY DELTA. I TURNED R TO TAXIWAY D4 (INSTEAD OF D) AND I CONTINUED ON, THINKING THAT D4 WILL SHORTLY LEAD TO D. I SAW THE RWY SIGN BUT I THOUGHT THAT THE RWY IS STILL BEYOND DELTA. I SAW NO AIRPLANE COMING FROM THE R. 4) I TURNED R ON RWY 18L THINKING THAT IT IS TAXIWAY DELTA. IMMEDIATELY, I REALIZED THAT IS THE RWY. I SAW BRIGHT LIGHT FAR AHEAD (MOST LIKELY WAS AN AIRPLANE AT THE END OF THE RWY IN 'POS AND HOLD' READY FOR TKOF, BUT IT WAS NOT MOVING). 5) I IMMEDIATELY TOOK AN EVASIVE ACTION BY TURNING SHARPLY TO THE R TO A GRASS AREA AT THE EDGE OF THE RWY. THE GND CTLR ASKED ME IF I AM ON THE RWY, AND I ANSWER 'YES, BUT I AM GETTING OFF.' THE OTHER AIRPLANE DID NOT MOVE (PROBABLY BY INSTRUCTION FROM THE TWR). 6) I GOT OFF THE RWY, TAXIED ON DELTA ON TO ALPHA, THEN L ON ALPHA AND I HELD POS. I WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE GND CTLR TO TAXI BACK TO THE RAMP AND CALL THE TWR BY PHONE, WHICH I DID. I GAVE THE REQUESTED INFO. I THEN PROCEEDED TO FLY MY ORIGINAL IFR PLAN.

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.