Narrative:

This was the beginning of my night currency where I did four takeoffs and lndgs to a full stop. After engine run-up, I was cleared to 'taxi to hold short of runway 19R' from the run-up area near the base of the control tower. After holding short at intersection left, I switched to the tower controller and told him of my intentions to 'do closed pattern traffic for night currency.' I was given the following: 'nxxxx cross runway 19R cleared for takeoff runway 19L intersection K departure.' I assumed the controller wanted me to cross runway 19R at intersection left and continue to intersection K once on runway 19L due to landing traffic on runway 19R. As I crossed runway 19R I saw the shape of an aircraft that appeared to be holding short of runway 19L at intersection left. However, this aircraft was holding short of runway 19R between the runways at intersection left. I completed my taxi across runway 19R and moved to the side of intersection left so as to make a 180 degree turn back to the runway 19R and proceed to intersection K. The controller calmly re-directed me to 'taxi down runway 19R to intersection K for my departure on runway 19L.' I then completed four takeoffs and lndgs for night currency. Contributing conditions: 1) I believe the tower personnel were trying to be helpful by giving me left closed pattern on runway 19L while they handled commercial traffic on runway 19R. 2) the aircraft that was holding between the runways did not have his landing lights on making him extremely difficult to see. 3) the airport main terminal was directly opposite my first holding position. The terminal lights make aircraft on the ground without their lights on nearly impossible to see. Recommendation: all aircraft equipped with landing lights should keep them 'on' at night while on any active taxiway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR FAILS TO COMPLY WITH TAXI INSTRUCTIONS INTENDED BY THE TWR.

Narrative: THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF MY NIGHT CURRENCY WHERE I DID FOUR TKOFS AND LNDGS TO A FULL STOP. AFTER ENG RUN-UP, I WAS CLRED TO 'TAXI TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 19R' FROM THE RUN-UP AREA NEAR THE BASE OF THE CTL TWR. AFTER HOLDING SHORT AT INTXN L, I SWITCHED TO THE TWR CTLR AND TOLD HIM OF MY INTENTIONS TO 'DO CLOSED PATTERN TFC FOR NIGHT CURRENCY.' I WAS GIVEN THE FOLLOWING: 'NXXXX CROSS RWY 19R CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 19L INTXN K DEP.' I ASSUMED THE CTLR WANTED ME TO CROSS RWY 19R AT INTXN L AND CONTINUE TO INTXN K ONCE ON RWY 19L DUE TO LNDG TFC ON RWY 19R. AS I CROSSED RWY 19R I SAW THE SHAPE OF AN ACFT THAT APPEARED TO BE HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 19L AT INTXN L. HOWEVER, THIS ACFT WAS HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 19R BTWN THE RWYS AT INTXN L. I COMPLETED MY TAXI ACROSS RWY 19R AND MOVED TO THE SIDE OF INTXN L SO AS TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN BACK TO THE RWY 19R AND PROCEED TO INTXN K. THE CTLR CALMLY RE-DIRECTED ME TO 'TAXI DOWN RWY 19R TO INTXN K FOR MY DEP ON RWY 19L.' I THEN COMPLETED FOUR TKOFS AND LNDGS FOR NIGHT CURRENCY. CONTRIBUTING CONDITIONS: 1) I BELIEVE THE TWR PERSONNEL WERE TRYING TO BE HELPFUL BY GIVING ME LEFT CLOSED PATTERN ON RWY 19L WHILE THEY HANDLED COMMERCIAL TFC ON RWY 19R. 2) THE ACFT THAT WAS HOLDING BTWN THE RWYS DID NOT HAVE HIS LNDG LIGHTS ON MAKING HIM EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE. 3) THE ARPT MAIN TERMINAL WAS DIRECTLY OPPOSITE MY FIRST HOLDING POS. THE TERMINAL LIGHTS MAKE ACFT ON THE GND WITHOUT THEIR LIGHTS ON NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE. RECOMMENDATION: ALL ACFT EQUIPPED WITH LNDG LIGHTS SHOULD KEEP THEM 'ON' AT NIGHT WHILE ON ANY ACTIVE TXWY.

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.