Narrative:

After landing on runway 28L at sfo, I was cleared down taxiway B to the airline maintenance operations center. As I was unfamiliar with this taxi route and the location of the maintenance operations center, progressive taxi instructions were requested and provided. The sfo airfield diagram was in view in the cockpit and all aircraft system were normal. We held short of runway 28R on taxiway right for several aircraft to land. When finally cleared across runway 28R, I was aware of the minimum time required on the runway as several aircraft were on final. I was instructed to proceed across runway 28R on taxiway right and turn left after crossing the runway. As I crossed the runway, I could see no continuation of taxiway right on the other side of the runway, so I slowed, almost bringing the aircraft to a stop. Ground control quickly saw the problem and instructed me to turn right, to continue taxi. The copilot saw taxiway right and helped guide me through the rest of the taxi. I believe 1 aircraft went around during this time. In my opinion, this incident was caused by 1) darkness, 2) pilot failure to notice that taxiway right is not exactly a straight taxiway route across runway 28R, and 3) no blue taxiway light and no green centerline taxi lights in the short fillet area of taxiway right, north of runway 28R.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIC OF TAXIING B737 IN A NIGHT OP SUFFERS SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND SLOWS TAXI PROC. ACFT ON LNDG APCH TO RWY 28L IS SENT AROUND.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG ON RWY 28L AT SFO, I WAS CLRED DOWN TXWY B TO THE AIRLINE MAINT OPS CTR. AS I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THIS TAXI RTE AND THE LOCATION OF THE MAINT OPS CTR, PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS WERE REQUESTED AND PROVIDED. THE SFO AIRFIELD DIAGRAM WAS IN VIEW IN THE COCKPIT AND ALL ACFT SYS WERE NORMAL. WE HELD SHORT OF RWY 28R ON TXWY R FOR SEVERAL ACFT TO LAND. WHEN FINALLY CLRED ACROSS RWY 28R, I WAS AWARE OF THE MINIMUM TIME REQUIRED ON THE RWY AS SEVERAL ACFT WERE ON FINAL. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO PROCEED ACROSS RWY 28R ON TXWY R AND TURN L AFTER XING THE RWY. AS I CROSSED THE RWY, I COULD SEE NO CONTINUATION OF TXWY R ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RWY, SO I SLOWED, ALMOST BRINGING THE ACFT TO A STOP. GND CTL QUICKLY SAW THE PROB AND INSTRUCTED ME TO TURN R, TO CONTINUE TAXI. THE COPLT SAW TXWY R AND HELPED GUIDE ME THROUGH THE REST OF THE TAXI. I BELIEVE 1 ACFT WENT AROUND DURING THIS TIME. IN MY OPINION, THIS INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY 1) DARKNESS, 2) PLT FAILURE TO NOTICE THAT TXWY R IS NOT EXACTLY A STRAIGHT TXWY RTE ACROSS RWY 28R, AND 3) NO BLUE TXWY LIGHT AND NO GREEN CTRLINE TAXI LIGHTS IN THE SHORT FILLET AREA OF TXWY R, N OF RWY 28R.

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.