Narrative:

We were instructed by ground control to taxi from aeronautical service ramp (where parked) to 31C runway via 'yankee,' 'kilo,' and 'fox' txwys. Taxiing northeast on 'yankee' we could not find signs identifying 'kilo' or 'fox' txwys. We missed both and continued northeast on 'yankee' and mistakenly turned right (southeast) onto runway 31L thinking that was 'fox' taxiway. This is a very poor setup and I believe some changes need to be made: 1) taxiway indent signs need to be improved and placed where they can be seen and understood. I missed 'kilo' and never did find a sign for 'fox' taxiway. 2) we observed nothing, warning us we were entering a runway. 31L used to be the parallel for 31C and still looks like a taxiway. (Each end is still a taxiway.) fortunately, 31L was closed and not in use. For our part, better cockpit resource management and more careful adherence to the 'taxi chart' by both crew members would have prevented this. We had been placed in front of another aircraft that was already taxiing out and I felt pressure to keep things moving. Hurrying resulted in not insuring we were where we were supposed to be. In the future we will take the time necessary to confirm our location. I sincerely hope mdw will make some badly needed changes also. Thank you for the superb service you provide for our profession. Your pubs are required reading in our flight department of 8 pilots.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF CPR ACFT INADVERTENTLY TAXIED ON TO A RWY IN TAXI FOR TKOF.

Narrative: WE WERE INSTRUCTED BY GND CTL TO TAXI FROM AERO SVC RAMP (WHERE PARKED) TO 31C RWY VIA 'YANKEE,' 'KILO,' AND 'FOX' TXWYS. TAXIING NE ON 'YANKEE' WE COULD NOT FIND SIGNS IDENTIFYING 'KILO' OR 'FOX' TXWYS. WE MISSED BOTH AND CONTINUED NE ON 'YANKEE' AND MISTAKENLY TURNED R (SE) ONTO RWY 31L THINKING THAT WAS 'FOX' TXWY. THIS IS A VERY POOR SETUP AND I BELIEVE SOME CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE: 1) TXWY INDENT SIGNS NEED TO BE IMPROVED AND PLACED WHERE THEY CAN BE SEEN AND UNDERSTOOD. I MISSED 'KILO' AND NEVER DID FIND A SIGN FOR 'FOX' TXWY. 2) WE OBSERVED NOTHING, WARNING US WE WERE ENTERING A RWY. 31L USED TO BE THE PARALLEL FOR 31C AND STILL LOOKS LIKE A TXWY. (EACH END IS STILL A TXWY.) FORTUNATELY, 31L WAS CLOSED AND NOT IN USE. FOR OUR PART, BETTER COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT AND MORE CAREFUL ADHERENCE TO THE 'TAXI CHART' BY BOTH CREW MEMBERS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS. WE HAD BEEN PLACED IN FRONT OF ANOTHER ACFT THAT WAS ALREADY TAXIING OUT AND I FELT PRESSURE TO KEEP THINGS MOVING. HURRYING RESULTED IN NOT INSURING WE WERE WHERE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE. IN THE FUTURE WE WILL TAKE THE TIME NECESSARY TO CONFIRM OUR LOCATION. I SINCERELY HOPE MDW WILL MAKE SOME BADLY NEEDED CHANGES ALSO. THANK YOU FOR THE SUPERB SVC YOU PROVIDE FOR OUR PROFESSION. YOUR PUBS ARE REQUIRED READING IN OUR FLT DEPT OF 8 PLTS.

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.