Air carrier X missed taxiway to approach end of runway because of poor airport signage.

Attributes
ACN	294849
Time
Date	199501
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rno
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	294849
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

We were cleared for takeoff runway 16R at reno. It was night and I had not been there since they opened runway 16L and changed some txwys. I had taxied past the turn for runway 16R and found myself on taxiway at end of runway 16R, cleared for takeoff runway 16R, but unable to get to runway 16R. Tower then cleared us for runway 16L. We checked weight/performance numbers and took off on runway 16L. There were no runway incursions, just an embarrassing taxi error, that I'm sure others have made. No matter how familiar you are with an airport, it is best to review the airport layout prior to taxiing particularly at night. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: tower supervisor stated there is no sign marking the runway between taxiway B and runway. Supervisor said city is aware of this. The sign is between taxiway a and taxiway B and is missed by a lot of pilots.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X MISSED TXWY TO APCH END OF RWY BECAUSE OF POOR ARPT SIGNAGE.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 16R AT RENO. IT WAS NIGHT AND I HAD NOT BEEN THERE SINCE THEY OPENED RWY 16L AND CHANGED SOME TXWYS. I HAD TAXIED PAST THE TURN FOR RWY 16R AND FOUND MYSELF ON TXWY AT END OF RWY 16R, CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 16R, BUT UNABLE TO GET TO RWY 16R. TWR THEN CLRED US FOR RWY 16L. WE CHKED WT/PERFORMANCE NUMBERS AND TOOK OFF ON RWY 16L. THERE WERE NO RWY INCURSIONS, JUST AN EMBARRASSING TAXI ERROR, THAT I'M SURE OTHERS HAVE MADE. NO MATTER HOW FAMILIAR YOU ARE WITH AN ARPT, IT IS BEST TO REVIEW THE ARPT LAYOUT PRIOR TO TAXIING PARTICULARLY AT NIGHT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: TWR SUPVR STATED THERE IS NO SIGN MARKING THE RWY BTWN TXWY B AND RWY. SUPVR SAID CITY IS AWARE OF THIS. THE SIGN IS BTWN TXWY A AND TXWY B AND IS MISSED BY A LOT OF 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.