Narrative:

Due to improper or lack of proper signage while taxiing east on taxiway F for departure on runway 25L at taxiway 8, mistakenly passed up taxiway 8 and taxied on the closed portion. Asked the south complex tower controller what I should do and he suggested doing a 180 degree, which we accomplished without further problems and departed runway 25L. There needs to be better indications that taxiway 8 is indeed a departure end of runway 25L. Especially since taxiway F is very rarely used by us. Either I totally missed it, or there are no signs to indicate that the taxiway F is closed east of taxiway 4-5. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies the B737-500. On this particular night, he was instructed to taxi northeast on taxiway J, cross both runways 25 at '26,' taxi northeast on taxiway F to '8.' the reporter had never been on this route before and taxied right past '8,' past the entry to the cargo complex, and onto a taxiway that is no longer in use. A call to lax tower determined that the construction on taxiway 'J' is now complete so that this problem should not happen again. The tower contact said that 'he was not the first to make this mistake.' the contact did not know if there were adequate signs at the northeast end of taxiway F, but all signs at lax will be updated, to be complete in the first week of jan/xx/96. He warned the ASRS to get ready for the onslaught of reports regarding the new signs. The reporter has not used this taxi route since the report, so cannot comment further on the signs at txwys '8' and 'F.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG TAXIED ONTO AN UNUSED TXWY WITH NO RECOVERY PROBS.

Narrative: DUE TO IMPROPER OR LACK OF PROPER SIGNAGE WHILE TAXIING E ON TXWY F FOR DEP ON RWY 25L AT TXWY 8, MISTAKENLY PASSED UP TXWY 8 AND TAXIED ON THE CLOSED PORTION. ASKED THE S COMPLEX TWR CTLR WHAT I SHOULD DO AND HE SUGGESTED DOING A 180 DEG, WHICH WE ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT FURTHER PROBS AND DEPARTED RWY 25L. THERE NEEDS TO BE BETTER INDICATIONS THAT TXWY 8 IS INDEED A DEP END OF RWY 25L. ESPECIALLY SINCE TXWY F IS VERY RARELY USED BY US. EITHER I TOTALLY MISSED IT, OR THERE ARE NO SIGNS TO INDICATE THAT THE TXWY F IS CLOSED E OF TXWY 4-5. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE B737-500. ON THIS PARTICULAR NIGHT, HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO TAXI NE ON TXWY J, CROSS BOTH RWYS 25 AT '26,' TAXI NE ON TXWY F TO '8.' THE RPTR HAD NEVER BEEN ON THIS RTE BEFORE AND TAXIED RIGHT PAST '8,' PAST THE ENTRY TO THE CARGO COMPLEX, AND ONTO A TXWY THAT IS NO LONGER IN USE. A CALL TO LAX TWR DETERMINED THAT THE CONSTRUCTION ON TXWY 'J' IS NOW COMPLETE SO THAT THIS PROB SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. THE TWR CONTACT SAID THAT 'HE WAS NOT THE FIRST TO MAKE THIS MISTAKE.' THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW IF THERE WERE ADEQUATE SIGNS AT THE NE END OF TXWY F, BUT ALL SIGNS AT LAX WILL BE UPDATED, TO BE COMPLETE IN THE FIRST WK OF JAN/XX/96. HE WARNED THE ASRS TO GET READY FOR THE ONSLAUGHT OF RPTS REGARDING THE NEW SIGNS. THE RPTR HAS NOT USED THIS TAXI RTE SINCE THE RPT, SO CANNOT COMMENT FURTHER ON THE SIGNS AT TXWYS '8' AND 'F.'

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.