Narrative:

I was cleared to land on runway 27R. After rollout I turned left on runway 17, misjudging it as being a taxiway. ATC tower advised me to remain on tower frequency and hold short at runway 27L. Since I was not familiar with the airport I cautiously continued to taxi toward runway 27L. Since there are no holding lines on runway 17, I was ready to stop at about 15-20 ft before moving on to runway 27L. At the same moment I stopped, 20 ft before reaching the edge of runway 27L, a low wing single engine (tiger?) was on the takeoff roll on runway 27L and the pilot was concerned about me taxiing into his takeoff path. I can understand his concern, but I already was aware of his movement and I was ready to stop at a safe distance, which I did. After the other aircraft safely took off I was switched to ground control, and I got a clearance to taxi to transient parking. After being advised to contact the ATC supervisor, I called the tower and explained my reaction and my perception. I admitted that I taxied onto runway 17 since I did not see any runway indicator number. It is true that the broken centerline is white and not yellow, however, such markings can be confusing, since I frequently land at long beach (lgb) airport, and runways at lgb have yellow as well as white ctrlines, and non-active runways are frequently used as txwys. I am fully aware that it is my responsibility as PIC to familiarize myself with the airport outlay, especially the active runways and txwys. Still I believe that possible conflicts could and should be prevented if ATC would not allow to taxi on runway 17 while both runways 27R and 27L are being used for takeoffs and lndgs, and no clear indications are present to indicate runway numbers or boundaries.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT TURNS ONTO RWY INSTEAD OF TXWY WHEN EXITING LNDG RWY.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 27R. AFTER ROLLOUT I TURNED L ON RWY 17, MISJUDGING IT AS BEING A TXWY. ATC TWR ADVISED ME TO REMAIN ON TWR FREQ AND HOLD SHORT AT RWY 27L. SINCE I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT I CAUTIOUSLY CONTINUED TO TAXI TOWARD RWY 27L. SINCE THERE ARE NO HOLDING LINES ON RWY 17, I WAS READY TO STOP AT ABOUT 15-20 FT BEFORE MOVING ON TO RWY 27L. AT THE SAME MOMENT I STOPPED, 20 FT BEFORE REACHING THE EDGE OF RWY 27L, A LOW WING SINGLE ENG (TIGER?) WAS ON THE TKOF ROLL ON RWY 27L AND THE PLT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ME TAXIING INTO HIS TKOF PATH. I CAN UNDERSTAND HIS CONCERN, BUT I ALREADY WAS AWARE OF HIS MOVEMENT AND I WAS READY TO STOP AT A SAFE DISTANCE, WHICH I DID. AFTER THE OTHER ACFT SAFELY TOOK OFF I WAS SWITCHED TO GND CTL, AND I GOT A CLRNC TO TAXI TO TRANSIENT PARKING. AFTER BEING ADVISED TO CONTACT THE ATC SUPVR, I CALLED THE TWR AND EXPLAINED MY REACTION AND MY PERCEPTION. I ADMITTED THAT I TAXIED ONTO RWY 17 SINCE I DID NOT SEE ANY RWY INDICATOR NUMBER. IT IS TRUE THAT THE BROKEN CTRLINE IS WHITE AND NOT YELLOW, HOWEVER, SUCH MARKINGS CAN BE CONFUSING, SINCE I FREQUENTLY LAND AT LONG BEACH (LGB) ARPT, AND RWYS AT LGB HAVE YELLOW AS WELL AS WHITE CTRLINES, AND NON-ACTIVE RWYS ARE FREQUENTLY USED AS TXWYS. I AM FULLY AWARE THAT IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY AS PIC TO FAMILIARIZE MYSELF WITH THE ARPT OUTLAY, ESPECIALLY THE ACTIVE RWYS AND TXWYS. STILL I BELIEVE THAT POSSIBLE CONFLICTS COULD AND SHOULD BE PREVENTED IF ATC WOULD NOT ALLOW TO TAXI ON RWY 17 WHILE BOTH RWYS 27R AND 27L ARE BEING USED FOR TKOFS AND LNDGS, AND NO CLR INDICATIONS ARE PRESENT TO INDICATE RWY NUMBERS OR BOUNDARIES.

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.