Small aircraft taxies to wrong runway, then into position and hold.

Attributes
ACN	325497
Time
Date	199601
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aus
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1250 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	325497
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Prior to taxi ATIS advised runway 31 was in use. After calling clearance delivery they advised runway 13 was in use. Ground directed taxi to runway 17. After run up I taxied to hold line and called tower. I was cleared to taxi into position and hold on runway 17. All 3 runways converge in that area (runways 17, 13R and 13L). The runway and taxi signs are confusing and I taxied past runway 17 to runway 13R. I was later cleared for runway 13R. Signs and markings should be positioned better and tower/ground should be alert for confusion in this area by unfamiliar pilots not used to the airport. Although no conflict resulted the tower cleared a large jet for takeoff on runway 31L against the takeoff flow of the other traffic. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he did not have an airport diagram in the aircraft. It would have helped if he had since he presumed he would taxi past runway 13L then runway 13R, then to runway 17. Looking at the diagram after the event he could see his mistake. He does believe that the signs give one the feeling that they are intersection signs rather than runway signs. Reporter normally requests progressive taxi instructions but this layout seemed pretty straight forward to him. His aircraft was a PA28.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA TAXIES TO WRONG RWY, THEN INTO POS AND HOLD.

Narrative: PRIOR TO TAXI ATIS ADVISED RWY 31 WAS IN USE. AFTER CALLING CLRNC DELIVERY THEY ADVISED RWY 13 WAS IN USE. GND DIRECTED TAXI TO RWY 17. AFTER RUN UP I TAXIED TO HOLD LINE AND CALLED TWR. I WAS CLRED TO TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 17. ALL 3 RWYS CONVERGE IN THAT AREA (RWYS 17, 13R AND 13L). THE RWY AND TAXI SIGNS ARE CONFUSING AND I TAXIED PAST RWY 17 TO RWY 13R. I WAS LATER CLRED FOR RWY 13R. SIGNS AND MARKINGS SHOULD BE POSITIONED BETTER AND TWR/GND SHOULD BE ALERT FOR CONFUSION IN THIS AREA BY UNFAMILIAR PLTS NOT USED TO THE ARPT. ALTHOUGH NO CONFLICT RESULTED THE TWR CLRED A LARGE JET FOR TKOF ON RWY 31L AGAINST THE TKOF FLOW OF THE OTHER TFC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE DID NOT HAVE AN ARPT DIAGRAM IN THE ACFT. IT WOULD HAVE HELPED IF HE HAD SINCE HE PRESUMED HE WOULD TAXI PAST RWY 13L THEN RWY 13R, THEN TO RWY 17. LOOKING AT THE DIAGRAM AFTER THE EVENT HE COULD SEE HIS MISTAKE. HE DOES BELIEVE THAT THE SIGNS GIVE ONE THE FEELING THAT THEY ARE INTXN SIGNS RATHER THAN RWY SIGNS. RPTR NORMALLY REQUESTS PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS BUT THIS LAYOUT SEEMED PRETTY STRAIGHT FORWARD TO HIM. HIS ACFT WAS A PA28.

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.