Narrative:

We were given clearance to taxi to runway 13 via taxiway a to runway 2 to taxiway G to runway 13. WX was reported 14 scattered 80 overcast 5 r-f wind was 110 15 gust 25. Rain fall was light to moderate with standing water on the surface. Most lines and markings including all taxi lines were not visible. While taxiing on runway 2 looking for taxiway G, we were told by ATC 'aircraft X stop.' as we were stopping, we both realized we had missed taxiway G and were in the intersection of runways 2/13. Noting an aircraft on short final for runway 13, we elected to continue to taxi clear of the intersection to hold short on the opposite side of runway 13 on runway 2. Aircraft Y went around and then landed on runway 13. We then taxied via runway 2 to runway 9, back across runway 13 to taxiway G to runway 13 per ATC. Both taxi and runway were dimly lighted and surfaces difficult to see due to standing water and rain. It was even difficult to find taxiway G again from runway 9. At runway 13 we took off without further incident. Surface lighting was a definite factor in this incident as both pilots saw the aircraft on final for runway 13 before we ever saw the taxiway or runway lights to indicate an intersection. While in the habit of requesting higher lighting to find an airport at night, we usually don't request higher lights during taxi. Had we done this, I believe this incident could have been avoided. Supplemental information from acn 198145: the factors accounting for this incident are: 1) night, 2) falling rain, limited visibility, 3) standing water on runway obscuring markings, 4) a multitude of ground lights from our vantage point, 5) the proximity of taxiway G turnoff and the 2-13 intersection, 6) reviewing airport diagram probably as we passed golf. Given same conditions in future, will probably taxi slower and request progressive taxi if necessary. There was no time for us to question our position since the intersection is so close to golf turnoff, you miss golf, you're in the intersection. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter gave information reference other aircraft. Gave altitude of aircraft Y on go around as Y passed over and behind reporter aircraft X. Does not recall seeing any taxiway marking signs for taxiway G. Says that runway and taxiway lights are very weak and seem to be very far apart. Taxi conditions very poor at night even without water on surfaces. That night it was like driving on an asphalt country road with no painted edge lines or centerline. Reporter likes the new green centerline taxiway lights at sea airport. Thinks maybe this airport has an energy saving policy and keep lights at lowest possible setting.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTHORIZED RWY XING BY COMMUTER.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO TAXI TO RWY 13 VIA TAXIWAY A TO RWY 2 TO TAXIWAY G TO RWY 13. WX WAS RPTED 14 SCATTERED 80 OVCST 5 R-F WIND WAS 110 15 GUST 25. RAIN FALL WAS LIGHT TO MODERATE WITH STANDING WATER ON THE SURFACE. MOST LINES AND MARKINGS INCLUDING ALL TAXI LINES WERE NOT VISIBLE. WHILE TAXIING ON RWY 2 LOOKING FOR TAXIWAY G, WE WERE TOLD BY ATC 'ACFT X STOP.' AS WE WERE STOPPING, WE BOTH REALIZED WE HAD MISSED TAXIWAY G AND WERE IN THE INTXN OF RWYS 2/13. NOTING AN ACFT ON SHORT FINAL FOR RWY 13, WE ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO TAXI CLR OF THE INTXN TO HOLD SHORT ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF RWY 13 ON RWY 2. ACFT Y WENT AROUND AND THEN LANDED ON RWY 13. WE THEN TAXIED VIA RWY 2 TO RWY 9, BACK ACROSS RWY 13 TO TAXIWAY G TO RWY 13 PER ATC. BOTH TAXI AND RWY WERE DIMLY LIGHTED AND SURFACES DIFFICULT TO SEE DUE TO STANDING WATER AND RAIN. IT WAS EVEN DIFFICULT TO FIND TAXIWAY G AGAIN FROM RWY 9. AT RWY 13 WE TOOK OFF WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. SURFACE LIGHTING WAS A DEFINITE FACTOR IN THIS INCIDENT AS BOTH PLTS SAW THE ACFT ON FINAL FOR RWY 13 BEFORE WE EVER SAW THE TAXIWAY OR RWY LIGHTS TO INDICATE AN INTXN. WHILE IN THE HABIT OF REQUESTING HIGHER LIGHTING TO FIND AN ARPT AT NIGHT, WE USUALLY DON'T REQUEST HIGHER LIGHTS DURING TAXI. HAD WE DONE THIS, I BELIEVE THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 198145: THE FACTORS ACCOUNTING FOR THIS INCIDENT ARE: 1) NIGHT, 2) FALLING RAIN, LIMITED VISIBILITY, 3) STANDING WATER ON RWY OBSCURING MARKINGS, 4) A MULTITUDE OF GND LIGHTS FROM OUR VANTAGE POINT, 5) THE PROX OF TAXIWAY G TURNOFF AND THE 2-13 INTXN, 6) REVIEWING ARPT DIAGRAM PROBABLY AS WE PASSED GOLF. GIVEN SAME CONDITIONS IN FUTURE, WILL PROBABLY TAXI SLOWER AND REQUEST PROGRESSIVE TAXI IF NECESSARY. THERE WAS NO TIME FOR US TO QUESTION OUR POS SINCE THE INTXN IS SO CLOSE TO GOLF TURNOFF, YOU MISS GOLF, YOU'RE IN THE INTXN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR GAVE INFO REF OTHER ACFT. GAVE ALT OF ACFT Y ON GAR AS Y PASSED OVER AND BEHIND RPTR ACFT X. DOES NOT RECALL SEEING ANY TAXIWAY MARKING SIGNS FOR TAXIWAY G. SAYS THAT RWY AND TAXIWAY LIGHTS ARE VERY WEAK AND SEEM TO BE VERY FAR APART. TAXI CONDITIONS VERY POOR AT NIGHT EVEN WITHOUT WATER ON SURFACES. THAT NIGHT IT WAS LIKE DRIVING ON AN ASPHALT COUNTRY ROAD WITH NO PAINTED EDGE LINES OR CENTERLINE. RPTR LIKES THE NEW GREEN CENTERLINE TAXIWAY LIGHTS AT SEA ARPT. THINKS MAYBE THIS ARPT HAS AN ENERGY SAVING POLICY AND KEEP LIGHTS AT LOWEST POSSIBLE SETTING.

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.