Narrative:

I was taxiing from the FBO for departure at hulman field, and I was not too familiar with the runway in use. From this sign I was led to believe there was a separate hold short line for runway 13/31 and runway 18/36. I was cleared to taxi to runway 13/31 but I did not realize that these separate runways used the same hold short line. I taxied past the hold short line for runway 18/36 thinking I would see a new (different) hold short line for runway 13/31. I did not. I asked the control tower for directions to the run-up area for runway 13/31 and he told me to hold where I was because I already passed it. I finished my checklist quickly, then departed. This incident occurred during a period of nonactivity on the field and fortunately my mistake did not alter any operations at the field. This incident occurred because I was not too familiar with the airfield and the airport diagram I had led me to believe there were separate holding areas for the different runways. I also believe the runway signs also led to my confusion. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states the airport diagram in use was a commercial publication but not the instrument diagram. It was in a subscription of airports of the midwest. It is very similar to the instruction book diagram. Tower said nothing more to reporter who completed his run-up and departed. He believes the signage is very confusing, leaving a question as to where the hold short line is for runway 13/31. He had personally never seen this type of signage before. Consulting with his flight instructor he learned that he knew of the signage but had not used the runway in question, so had no personal experience with it. He feels the sign is very misleading and some change should be made.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA CONFUSED BY RWY SIGNAGE TAXIES BEYOND HOLD LINE.

Narrative: I WAS TAXIING FROM THE FBO FOR DEP AT HULMAN FIELD, AND I WAS NOT TOO FAMILIAR WITH THE RWY IN USE. FROM THIS SIGN I WAS LED TO BELIEVE THERE WAS A SEPARATE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 13/31 AND RWY 18/36. I WAS CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 13/31 BUT I DID NOT REALIZE THAT THESE SEPARATE RWYS USED THE SAME HOLD SHORT LINE. I TAXIED PAST THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 18/36 THINKING I WOULD SEE A NEW (DIFFERENT) HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 13/31. I DID NOT. I ASKED THE CTL TWR FOR DIRECTIONS TO THE RUN-UP AREA FOR RWY 13/31 AND HE TOLD ME TO HOLD WHERE I WAS BECAUSE I ALREADY PASSED IT. I FINISHED MY CHKLIST QUICKLY, THEN DEPARTED. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING A PERIOD OF NONACTIVITY ON THE FIELD AND FORTUNATELY MY MISTAKE DID NOT ALTER ANY OPS AT THE FIELD. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE I WAS NOT TOO FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRFIELD AND THE ARPT DIAGRAM I HAD LED ME TO BELIEVE THERE WERE SEPARATE HOLDING AREAS FOR THE DIFFERENT RWYS. I ALSO BELIEVE THE RWY SIGNS ALSO LED TO MY CONFUSION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE ARPT DIAGRAM IN USE WAS A COMMERCIAL PUB BUT NOT THE INST DIAGRAM. IT WAS IN A SUBSCRIPTION OF ARPTS OF THE MIDWEST. IT IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE INSTRUCTION BOOK DIAGRAM. TWR SAID NOTHING MORE TO RPTR WHO COMPLETED HIS RUN-UP AND DEPARTED. HE BELIEVES THE SIGNAGE IS VERY CONFUSING, LEAVING A QUESTION AS TO WHERE THE HOLD SHORT LINE IS FOR RWY 13/31. HE HAD PERSONALLY NEVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF SIGNAGE BEFORE. CONSULTING WITH HIS FLT INSTRUCTOR HE LEARNED THAT HE KNEW OF THE SIGNAGE BUT HAD NOT USED THE RWY IN QUESTION, SO HAD NO PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH IT. HE FEELS THE SIGN IS VERY MISLEADING AND SOME CHANGE SHOULD BE MADE.

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.