Narrative:

While taxiing, pilot was advised to hold short of echo-1 intersection while northbound on echo, to allow another aircraft exiting runway 28R at alpha-7 intersection. After that aircraft passed, pilot was to taxi via echo-1 to alpha to parking. Continuing north on echo looking for the echo-1 sign, the ground controller advised pilot that he had gone too far and to do a 180 degree turn back. As this was done the echo-1 sign became visible. At this time it was clear that the aircraft did not enter the runway 10L/28R, but may have crossed the hold line. Contributing factors are: night, wet pavement, taxiway lights (blue) extend into overrun area of ending runway, and poor taxiway sign markers. Near area of runway 20, 10L, taxiway echo and taxiway alpha. On wet pavement the hold lines are very hard to see at night, only facing in south or southeast direction can the sign for echo-1 be seen. The blue taxiway lights should not be extended into the overrun areas. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states the sign is visible when leaving runway 10L but not when heading northeast. Reporter is almost positive there is no taxiway sign heading northeast. The controller caught the error and turned aircraft around. The problem is the concrete is so large that it is impossible to bring the taxiway lights into the area as they would probably be run over. Reporter has operated at this airport for 9 yrs but seldom uses this direction of taxi as runway 20 is seldom used. Too much population density O both approach and departure areas for this runway. Reporter knew there were hold lines and was straining to look for them. They come into a V shape in this area for the 2 runways. However, the taxiway lights continue right out to the runway and painted hold line not visible at night. Runway 28R was completely torn out and replaced during the last yr and new taxiway signs and lights installed. This may help.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI SMT TAXIES BEYOND HOLD LINE AND ALMOST ONTO RWY.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING, PLT WAS ADVISED TO HOLD SHORT OF ECHO-1 INTXN WHILE NBOUND ON ECHO, TO ALLOW ANOTHER ACFT EXITING RWY 28R AT ALPHA-7 INTXN. AFTER THAT ACFT PASSED, PLT WAS TO TAXI VIA ECHO-1 TO ALPHA TO PARKING. CONTINUING N ON ECHO LOOKING FOR THE ECHO-1 SIGN, THE GND CTLR ADVISED PLT THAT HE HAD GONE TOO FAR AND TO DO A 180 DEG TURN BACK. AS THIS WAS DONE THE ECHO-1 SIGN BECAME VISIBLE. AT THIS TIME IT WAS CLR THAT THE ACFT DID NOT ENTER THE RWY 10L/28R, BUT MAY HAVE CROSSED THE HOLD LINE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE: NIGHT, WET PAVEMENT, TXWY LIGHTS (BLUE) EXTEND INTO OVERRUN AREA OF ENDING RWY, AND POOR TXWY SIGN MARKERS. NEAR AREA OF RWY 20, 10L, TXWY ECHO AND TXWY ALPHA. ON WET PAVEMENT THE HOLD LINES ARE VERY HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT, ONLY FACING IN S OR SE DIRECTION CAN THE SIGN FOR ECHO-1 BE SEEN. THE BLUE TXWY LIGHTS SHOULD NOT BE EXTENDED INTO THE OVERRUN AREAS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES THE SIGN IS VISIBLE WHEN LEAVING RWY 10L BUT NOT WHEN HDG NE. RPTR IS ALMOST POSITIVE THERE IS NO TXWY SIGN HDG NE. THE CTLR CAUGHT THE ERROR AND TURNED ACFT AROUND. THE PROB IS THE CONCRETE IS SO LARGE THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BRING THE TXWY LIGHTS INTO THE AREA AS THEY WOULD PROBABLY BE RUN OVER. RPTR HAS OPERATED AT THIS ARPT FOR 9 YRS BUT SELDOM USES THIS DIRECTION OF TAXI AS RWY 20 IS SELDOM USED. TOO MUCH POPULATION DENSITY O BOTH APCH AND DEP AREAS FOR THIS RWY. RPTR KNEW THERE WERE HOLD LINES AND WAS STRAINING TO LOOK FOR THEM. THEY COME INTO A V SHAPE IN THIS AREA FOR THE 2 RWYS. HOWEVER, THE TXWY LIGHTS CONTINUE RIGHT OUT TO THE RWY AND PAINTED HOLD LINE NOT VISIBLE AT NIGHT. RWY 28R WAS COMPLETELY TORN OUT AND REPLACED DURING THE LAST YR AND NEW TXWY SIGNS AND LIGHTS INSTALLED. THIS MAY HELP.

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.