Narrative:

Copied ATIS, received clearance for IFR fll direct montego bay, jamaica in BE588. WX no factor. Excellent ground visibility. Left fll FBO on taxiway X (see enclosed airport view), while on taxiway H, with clearance to runway 27L, mistook active runway for taxiway. Realized mistake and exited on taxiway C to parallel taxiway K. Air carrier turboprop exited runway 27L on taxiway D at same time I exited runway. See enclosed photos of covered taxiway/runway markings which led to some confusion on my part. I have never made a mistake like this in 3800 hours of GA flying, and it is simply a lesson in being much more careful while taxiing, especially adjacent to, or parallel with active runways. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that he called the tower supervisor after arriving at his destination. He gave pertinent information of name, address and certificate number and was told there would probably be no follow-up action. On return to home base reporter checked for NOTAMS or any information on the reason for the covers. There was nothing indicated. He has no idea why the covers were on the signs. Reporter took the pictures on his return a few days later, so it was not just a 1 day thing. Call to airport reveals that the covered signage is the new runway/taxiway signs in order to comply with the advisory circular that is mandatory for all airports. The new panels have not yet arrived, but the structures have been completed. That is the reason for the covers. They expect to have the new signs uncovered and ready to go sometime in june. At that time, the old runway/taxiway signs will be removed. It appears that the reporter was not looking at an airport diagram when he was taxiing out, and not paying attention to the existing signage.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT TAXIES ONTO ACTIVE RWY BELIEVING IT TO BE A TXWY. SIGNS COVERED WITH FABRIC HOODS.

Narrative: COPIED ATIS, RECEIVED CLRNC FOR IFR FLL DIRECT MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA IN BE588. WX NO FACTOR. EXCELLENT GND VISIBILITY. LEFT FLL FBO ON TXWY X (SEE ENCLOSED ARPT VIEW), WHILE ON TXWY H, WITH CLRNC TO RWY 27L, MISTOOK ACTIVE RWY FOR TXWY. REALIZED MISTAKE AND EXITED ON TXWY C TO PARALLEL TXWY K. ACR TURBOPROP EXITED RWY 27L ON TXWY D AT SAME TIME I EXITED RWY. SEE ENCLOSED PHOTOS OF COVERED TXWY/RWY MARKINGS WHICH LED TO SOME CONFUSION ON MY PART. I HAVE NEVER MADE A MISTAKE LIKE THIS IN 3800 HRS OF GA FLYING, AND IT IS SIMPLY A LESSON IN BEING MUCH MORE CAREFUL WHILE TAXIING, ESPECIALLY ADJACENT TO, OR PARALLEL WITH ACTIVE RWYS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT HE CALLED THE TWR SUPVR AFTER ARRIVING AT HIS DEST. HE GAVE PERTINENT INFO OF NAME, ADDRESS AND CERTIFICATE NUMBER AND WAS TOLD THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE NO FOLLOW-UP ACTION. ON RETURN TO HOME BASE RPTR CHKED FOR NOTAMS OR ANY INFO ON THE REASON FOR THE COVERS. THERE WAS NOTHING INDICATED. HE HAS NO IDEA WHY THE COVERS WERE ON THE SIGNS. RPTR TOOK THE PICTURES ON HIS RETURN A FEW DAYS LATER, SO IT WAS NOT JUST A 1 DAY THING. CALL TO ARPT REVEALS THAT THE COVERED SIGNAGE IS THE NEW RWY/TXWY SIGNS IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE ADVISORY CIRCULAR THAT IS MANDATORY FOR ALL ARPTS. THE NEW PANELS HAVE NOT YET ARRIVED, BUT THE STRUCTURES HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. THAT IS THE REASON FOR THE COVERS. THEY EXPECT TO HAVE THE NEW SIGNS UNCOVERED AND READY TO GO SOMETIME IN JUNE. AT THAT TIME, THE OLD RWY/TXWY SIGNS WILL BE REMOVED. IT APPEARS THAT THE RPTR WAS NOT LOOKING AT AN ARPT DIAGRAM WHEN HE WAS TAXIING OUT, AND NOT PAYING ATTN TO THE EXISTING SIGNAGE.

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.