Narrative:

Dca ground controller issued taxi clearance from FBO: taxi to runway 18 via juliette, hold short of runway 15. Subject aircraft taxies to and holds short of runway 15 on juliette. Ground: cross 15, taxi to runway 18. Pilot reads back clearance and crosses runway 15, begins watching for hold line while taxiing slowly. Night very dark. No other aircraft around. Pilot becomes uneasy about location and calls ground controller: ground this is (identify). Are we near where we ought to be? Ground: affirmative. Pilot continues slow forward movement looking for hold line. Pilot becomes concerned that hold line was missed and initiates left 180 degree turn in order to back-track and search area for the line. Still not other aircraft anywhere around.. Ground controller: where are you going? Pilot: going to 15. (With the intention of back-tracking and looking for hold line.) ground controller reminds pilot that clearance was to runway 18 and that the clearance does not mean cleared onto the runway. Pilot: roger, sir. Taxies west 25-30 ft, sees the hold line and initiates left 180 degree turn west of the line. Ground controller: hold short of runway 18 and advise when ready for takeoff. Pilot: is holding short. Ready for takeoff on runway 18. Controller: cleared to takeoff. After liftoff fly heading 185, climb to (blank) ft. Pilot reads back takeoff clearance, takes off and completes flight without problem. Pilot's suggestion: please repaint more often the lines and hold line at the hold box end of runway 18. Pavement surface in this area is marred by many cracks, joints, patches, tire marks, discolorations, etc. Hold line is difficult to distinguish at night, especially since you are approaching the line at a severe angle.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT TAXIING AT NIGHT BELIEVES HE WAS CROSSED HOLD LINE. TURNS BACK TO SEARCH FOR SAME.

Narrative: DCA GND CTLR ISSUED TAXI CLRNC FROM FBO: TAXI TO RWY 18 VIA JULIETTE, HOLD SHORT OF RWY 15. SUBJECT ACFT TAXIES TO AND HOLDS SHORT OF RWY 15 ON JULIETTE. GND: CROSS 15, TAXI TO RWY 18. PLT READS BACK CLRNC AND CROSSES RWY 15, BEGINS WATCHING FOR HOLD LINE WHILE TAXIING SLOWLY. NIGHT VERY DARK. NO OTHER ACFT AROUND. PLT BECOMES UNEASY ABOUT LOCATION AND CALLS GND CTLR: GND THIS IS (IDENT). ARE WE NEAR WHERE WE OUGHT TO BE? GND: AFFIRMATIVE. PLT CONTINUES SLOW FORWARD MOVEMENT LOOKING FOR HOLD LINE. PLT BECOMES CONCERNED THAT HOLD LINE WAS MISSED AND INITIATES LEFT 180 DEG TURN IN ORDER TO BACK-TRACK AND SEARCH AREA FOR THE LINE. STILL NOT OTHER ACFT ANYWHERE AROUND.. GND CTLR: WHERE ARE YOU GOING? PLT: GOING TO 15. (WITH THE INTENTION OF BACK-TRACKING AND LOOKING FOR HOLD LINE.) GND CTLR REMINDS PLT THAT CLRNC WAS TO RWY 18 AND THAT THE CLRNC DOES NOT MEAN CLRED ONTO THE RWY. PLT: ROGER, SIR. TAXIES W 25-30 FT, SEES THE HOLD LINE AND INITIATES LEFT 180 DEG TURN W OF THE LINE. GND CTLR: HOLD SHORT OF RWY 18 AND ADVISE WHEN READY FOR TKOF. PLT: IS HOLDING SHORT. READY FOR TKOF ON RWY 18. CTLR: CLRED TO TKOF. AFTER LIFTOFF FLY HDG 185, CLB TO (BLANK) FT. PLT READS BACK TKOF CLRNC, TAKES OFF AND COMPLETES FLT WITHOUT PROB. PLT'S SUGGESTION: PLEASE REPAINT MORE OFTEN THE LINES AND HOLD LINE AT THE HOLD BOX END OF RWY 18. PAVEMENT SURFACE IN THIS AREA IS MARRED BY MANY CRACKS, JOINTS, PATCHES, TIRE MARKS, DISCOLORATIONS, ETC. HOLD LINE IS DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH AT NIGHT, ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU ARE APCHING THE LINE AT A SEVERE ANGLE.

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.