Narrative:

After waiting for a passenger on a connecting flight, we taxied to runway 4L via taxiway alpha. Airport conditions precluded the use of standard airport signs and marking aids. Txwys, taxiway signs, and runway signs were obscured by snow, plowed snow, packed snow and ice, along with blowing snow. The adverse conditions precluded normal taxi navigation and we used personal experience to taxi. Prior to reaching runway 4L, tower stated 'cleared for takeoff runway 4 left.' at this point, we were still on taxiway alpha approaching the intersection of kilo-1 and alpha. We made a left turn onto what appeared to be runway 4L. The surface was partially cleared down centerline with snow and packed ice on its edges. The captain performed a rolling takeoff. Tower stated 'cancel takeoff clearance.' I acknowledged and we aborted takeoff. As the aircraft approached taxiway charlie, tower stated 'make a left turn and taxi sbound to runway 4L.' we taxied onto a completely snow covered taxiway to runway 4L. Holding short, tower stated 'taxi into position and hold runway 4L.' we made a left turn and noticed immediately that we were turning towards taxiway kilo and that runway 4L was straight ahead. We were actually at the intersection of taxiway kilo and sierra. Tower stated, as we corrected the turn to the right to head to runway 4L, 'make a right turn, straight ahead, runway 4L, position and hold. That is why your takeoff clearance was canceled.' we acknowledged and taxied into position on runway 4L. Shortly thereafter we were cleared for takeoff and advised to call boston tower upon landing at destination. We knew when we were turning towards taxiway kilo that our first takeoff run was from this taxiway. Corrective action: slow down actions in adverse conditions. Avoid complacency especially pertaining to runway environments and/or instructions at airports frequently visited. Clear airport markings at runway entrances and ensure all usable taxiway/runway signs are clear of obstructions to flcs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR BE 1900 STARTED TO TKOF ON A TXWY.

Narrative: AFTER WAITING FOR A PAX ON A CONNECTING FLT, WE TAXIED TO RWY 4L VIA TXWY ALPHA. ARPT CONDITIONS PRECLUDED THE USE OF STANDARD ARPT SIGNS AND MARKING AIDS. TXWYS, TXWY SIGNS, AND RWY SIGNS WERE OBSCURED BY SNOW, PLOWED SNOW, PACKED SNOW AND ICE, ALONG WITH BLOWING SNOW. THE ADVERSE CONDITIONS PRECLUDED NORMAL TAXI NAV AND WE USED PERSONAL EXPERIENCE TO TAXI. PRIOR TO REACHING RWY 4L, TWR STATED 'CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 4 L.' AT THIS POINT, WE WERE STILL ON TXWY ALPHA APCHING THE INTXN OF KILO-1 AND ALPHA. WE MADE A L TURN ONTO WHAT APPEARED TO BE RWY 4L. THE SURFACE WAS PARTIALLY CLRED DOWN CTRLINE WITH SNOW AND PACKED ICE ON ITS EDGES. THE CAPT PERFORMED A ROLLING TKOF. TWR STATED 'CANCEL TKOF CLRNC.' I ACKNOWLEDGED AND WE ABORTED TKOF. AS THE ACFT APCHED TXWY CHARLIE, TWR STATED 'MAKE A L TURN AND TAXI SBOUND TO RWY 4L.' WE TAXIED ONTO A COMPLETELY SNOW COVERED TXWY TO RWY 4L. HOLDING SHORT, TWR STATED 'TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD RWY 4L.' WE MADE A L TURN AND NOTICED IMMEDIATELY THAT WE WERE TURNING TOWARDS TXWY KILO AND THAT RWY 4L WAS STRAIGHT AHEAD. WE WERE ACTUALLY AT THE INTXN OF TXWY KILO AND SIERRA. TWR STATED, AS WE CORRECTED THE TURN TO THE R TO HEAD TO RWY 4L, 'MAKE A R TURN, STRAIGHT AHEAD, RWY 4L, POS AND HOLD. THAT IS WHY YOUR TKOF CLRNC WAS CANCELED.' WE ACKNOWLEDGED AND TAXIED INTO POS ON RWY 4L. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF AND ADVISED TO CALL BOSTON TWR UPON LNDG AT DEST. WE KNEW WHEN WE WERE TURNING TOWARDS TXWY KILO THAT OUR FIRST TKOF RUN WAS FROM THIS TXWY. CORRECTIVE ACTION: SLOW DOWN ACTIONS IN ADVERSE CONDITIONS. AVOID COMPLACENCY ESPECIALLY PERTAINING TO RWY ENVIRONMENTS AND/OR INSTRUCTIONS AT ARPTS FREQUENTLY VISITED. CLR ARPT MARKINGS AT RWY ENTRANCES AND ENSURE ALL USABLE TXWY/RWY SIGNS ARE CLR OF OBSTRUCTIONS TO FLCS.

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.