Narrative:

Incident occurred in the process of taxiing to active runway 14. The principle contributing factors appear to have been the pilot's lack of familiarity with newcastle county airport, and the unusual runway/taxiway confign at the junction of runway 09, runway 14, and taxiway kilo. Following aircraft run- up at the general aviation ramp adjacent to taxiway kilo, the pilot called ground control for clearance to runway 14. On receiving clearance to taxi via taxiway kilo, the pilot proceeded to the junction of kilo and runways 09 and 14. Preoccupied with differentiating between runway 09 and runway 14, to ensure accessing the correct runway, the pilot did not observe the holding line and inadvertently taxied onto runway 14. At this point, having arrived on runway 14 in takeoff position, the pilot contacted the tower and was cleared for takeoff. Following takeoff, the pilot was notified to switch to ground control for discussion with the supervisor. The essence of the discussion with the supervisor was for him to ensure that I understood that I had violated the regulations by taxiing onto runway 14 without authorization, and for me to realize the seriousness of the situation. In response, I replied that I made a mistake, and did in fact realize it's seriousness. In retrospect, I realize that being unfamiliar with newcastle county airport, I had expected to find a runway/taxiway confign similar to what I was used to at pne, and upon encountering the unusual multiple runway/taxiway intersection, I became confused and blundered onto the runway. Further, at this point, it is not altogether clear that the associated holding line was particularly evident. Hindsight now suggests a more careful study of airport diagrams prior to arrival at unfamiliar locations.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PVT SMA PLT TAXIED ONTO A RWY WITH CLRNC.

Narrative: INCIDENT OCCURRED IN THE PROCESS OF TAXIING TO ACTIVE RWY 14. THE PRINCIPLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN THE PLT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH NEWCASTLE COUNTY ARPT, AND THE UNUSUAL RWY/TAXIWAY CONFIGN AT THE JUNCTION OF RWY 09, RWY 14, AND TAXIWAY KILO. FOLLOWING ACFT RUN- UP AT THE GENERAL AVIATION RAMP ADJACENT TO TAXIWAY KILO, THE PLT CALLED GND CTL FOR CLRNC TO RWY 14. ON RECEIVING CLRNC TO TAXI VIA TAXIWAY KILO, THE PLT PROCEEDED TO THE JUNCTION OF KILO AND RWYS 09 AND 14. PREOCCUPIED WITH DIFFERENTIATING BTWN RWY 09 AND RWY 14, TO ENSURE ACCESSING THE CORRECT RWY, THE PLT DID NOT OBSERVE THE HOLDING LINE AND INADVERTENTLY TAXIED ONTO RWY 14. AT THIS POINT, HAVING ARRIVED ON RWY 14 IN TKOF POS, THE PLT CONTACTED THE TWR AND WAS CLRED FOR TKOF. FOLLOWING TKOF, THE PLT WAS NOTIFIED TO SWITCH TO GND CTL FOR DISCUSSION WITH THE SUPVR. THE ESSENCE OF THE DISCUSSION WITH THE SUPVR WAS FOR HIM TO ENSURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD THAT I HAD VIOLATED THE REGS BY TAXIING ONTO RWY 14 WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION, AND FOR ME TO REALIZE THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SITUATION. IN RESPONSE, I REPLIED THAT I MADE A MISTAKE, AND DID IN FACT REALIZE IT'S SERIOUSNESS. IN RETROSPECT, I REALIZE THAT BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH NEWCASTLE COUNTY ARPT, I HAD EXPECTED TO FIND A RWY/TAXIWAY CONFIGN SIMILAR TO WHAT I WAS USED TO AT PNE, AND UPON ENCOUNTERING THE UNUSUAL MULTIPLE RWY/TAXIWAY INTXN, I BECAME CONFUSED AND BLUNDERED ONTO THE RWY. FURTHER, AT THIS POINT, IT IS NOT ALTOGETHER CLR THAT THE ASSOCIATED HOLDING LINE WAS PARTICULARLY EVIDENT. HINDSIGHT NOW SUGGESTS A MORE CAREFUL STUDY OF ARPT DIAGRAMS PRIOR TO ARR AT UNFAMILIAR LOCATIONS.

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.