Narrative:

A runway incursion took place for which I was a part of. We got our clearance and began our taxi instructions which were to taxi to runway 23L. We pulled out of the GA area and taxied northbound on J. We kept track of our position by using our airport diagram and following the taxiways we were crossing. A small commuter turboprop was instructed to follow us to 23L for takeoff. As we approached south the tower asked us if we would be ready for immediate takeoff. I told them a 2-3 min wait. They had the commuter traffic continue onto left and we were pulled off J and put on the ramp area past tango intersection. When we were cleared for takeoff, we continued forward turned left on what we thought was 23L. In actuality we taxied onto runway 28 and departed. Tower informed us at about 600 ft AGL what we had done and gave us an on course heading of 180 degree. I believe there were a few factors which lead to this runway incursion. The first being that we were trying to expedite our runup time to prevent any back-up for the tower. The taxiway identify signs and the runway identify signs are very poor in the area we were in and directed to enter onto runway 23L. Secondly, I did a poor job of keeping track of our exact position in relation to the takeoff runway. A careful examination of the runway surface and dg prior to the takeoff roll would have told me we were entering onto and taking off the wrong runway. I believe a little better situational awareness and better taxiway and runway signs may have prevented this from occurring. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. The area is very poorly marked and/or lighted. No matter where he turned back toward runway, he had to cross 28 prior to reaching 23L. Tower was not busy but gave no assistance or guidance until after the fact. Taxiway markings need improvement, lighted runway signs would help.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA DEPARTS WRONG RWY DUE TAXI ON WRONG TAXIWAY, POOR SIGNS LIGHTING.

Narrative: A RWY INCURSION TOOK PLACE FOR WHICH I WAS A PART OF. WE GOT OUR CLRNC AND BEGAN OUR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS WHICH WERE TO TAXI TO RWY 23L. WE PULLED OUT OF THE GA AREA AND TAXIED NBOUND ON J. WE KEPT TRACK OF OUR POS BY USING OUR ARPT DIAGRAM AND FOLLOWING THE TAXIWAYS WE WERE XING. A SMALL COMMUTER TURBOPROP WAS INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW US TO 23L FOR TKOF. AS WE APCHED S THE TWR ASKED US IF WE WOULD BE READY FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF. I TOLD THEM A 2-3 MIN WAIT. THEY HAD THE COMMUTER TFC CONTINUE ONTO L AND WE WERE PULLED OFF J AND PUT ON THE RAMP AREA PAST TANGO INTXN. WHEN WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF, WE CONTINUED FORWARD TURNED L ON WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS 23L. IN ACTUALITY WE TAXIED ONTO RWY 28 AND DEPARTED. TWR INFORMED US AT ABOUT 600 FT AGL WHAT WE HAD DONE AND GAVE US AN ON COURSE HDG OF 180 DEG. I BELIEVE THERE WERE A FEW FACTORS WHICH LEAD TO THIS RWY INCURSION. THE FIRST BEING THAT WE WERE TRYING TO EXPEDITE OUR RUNUP TIME TO PREVENT ANY BACK-UP FOR THE TWR. THE TAXIWAY IDENT SIGNS AND THE RWY IDENT SIGNS ARE VERY POOR IN THE AREA WE WERE IN AND DIRECTED TO ENTER ONTO RWY 23L. SECONDLY, I DID A POOR JOB OF KEEPING TRACK OF OUR EXACT POS IN RELATION TO THE TKOF RWY. A CAREFUL EXAMINATION OF THE RWY SURFACE AND DG PRIOR TO THE TKOF ROLL WOULD HAVE TOLD ME WE WERE ENTERING ONTO AND TAKING OFF THE WRONG RWY. I BELIEVE A LITTLE BETTER SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND BETTER TAXIWAY AND RWY SIGNS MAY HAVE PREVENTED THIS FROM OCCURRING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. THE AREA IS VERY POORLY MARKED AND/OR LIGHTED. NO MATTER WHERE HE TURNED BACK TOWARD RWY, HE HAD TO CROSS 28 PRIOR TO REACHING 23L. TWR WAS NOT BUSY BUT GAVE NO ASSISTANCE OR GUIDANCE UNTIL AFTER THE FACT. TAXIWAY MARKINGS NEED IMPROVEMENT, LIGHTED RWY SIGNS WOULD HELP.

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.