Narrative:

Our aircraft was cleared to taxi to runway 19 at sdf via taxiway P. As we passed taxiway G on taxiway P, we became aware of a B747 taxiing to runway 19 on taxiway D. As we approached intersection D5, our taxi speed was about 7-8 KTS. This is a point where taxiway P and taxiway D come close together and it was at this point we were overtaken by the B747. The relatively close proximity of the 2 aircraft at this location commanded our attention. After the B747 passed us, we were instructed to hold short of runway 19. We transitioned to taxiway right and stopped the aircraft. When cleared for takeoff, we realized we had missed the hold short line. We believed the factors contributing to this event included: taxiway layout and design in this area, poor lighting, inadequate signs, distraction by overtaking aircraft. Recommendations: NOTAM. Evaluate by airport authority/authorized. Sign, lighting and marking improvements in this area. Supplemental information from acn 359498: we had been cleared to taxi to runway 19 at sdf. While taxiing north on taxiway right, we observed a B747 overtaking us on the parallel taxiway D. Although we were on separate txwys, the proximity of our wingtips was very close. This distraction caused us to miss the hold short line for runway 19, which is in a very inconspicuous, poorly lighted spot. I recommend the airport authority/authorized in sdf better illuminate the taxi area approaching runway 17 and runway 19. Furthermore, the installation of runway guard lights and/or clearance bar lights would better alert the pilot of the approaching runway at what is a very confusing intersection. Callback conversation with reporter acn #359498 revealed the following information: the reporter's aircraft and the B747 were of the same air carrier. The reporter has since been back to sdf and states that the hold short line is 'about 100 yards from the end of runway 19.' he has seen the captain's report to the ASRS. The captain has contacted his air carrier and union safety about this problem. The reporter will call the FAA safety hotline.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DC8-73 FREIGHTER PASSED A HOLD SHORT LINE WITHOUT CLRNC. ERROR ADMITTED. NIGHT OP.

Narrative: OUR ACFT WAS CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 19 AT SDF VIA TXWY P. AS WE PASSED TXWY G ON TXWY P, WE BECAME AWARE OF A B747 TAXIING TO RWY 19 ON TXWY D. AS WE APCHED INTXN D5, OUR TAXI SPD WAS ABOUT 7-8 KTS. THIS IS A POINT WHERE TXWY P AND TXWY D COME CLOSE TOGETHER AND IT WAS AT THIS POINT WE WERE OVERTAKEN BY THE B747. THE RELATIVELY CLOSE PROX OF THE 2 ACFT AT THIS LOCATION COMMANDED OUR ATTN. AFTER THE B747 PASSED US, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 19. WE TRANSITIONED TO TXWY R AND STOPPED THE ACFT. WHEN CLRED FOR TKOF, WE REALIZED WE HAD MISSED THE HOLD SHORT LINE. WE BELIEVED THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS EVENT INCLUDED: TXWY LAYOUT AND DESIGN IN THIS AREA, POOR LIGHTING, INADEQUATE SIGNS, DISTR BY OVERTAKING ACFT. RECOMMENDATIONS: NOTAM. EVAL BY ARPT AUTH. SIGN, LIGHTING AND MARKING IMPROVEMENTS IN THIS AREA. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 359498: WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 19 AT SDF. WHILE TAXIING N ON TXWY R, WE OBSERVED A B747 OVERTAKING US ON THE PARALLEL TXWY D. ALTHOUGH WE WERE ON SEPARATE TXWYS, THE PROX OF OUR WINGTIPS WAS VERY CLOSE. THIS DISTR CAUSED US TO MISS THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 19, WHICH IS IN A VERY INCONSPICUOUS, POORLY LIGHTED SPOT. I RECOMMEND THE ARPT AUTH IN SDF BETTER ILLUMINATE THE TAXI AREA APCHING RWY 17 AND RWY 19. FURTHERMORE, THE INSTALLATION OF RWY GUARD LIGHTS AND/OR CLRNC BAR LIGHTS WOULD BETTER ALERT THE PLT OF THE APCHING RWY AT WHAT IS A VERY CONFUSING INTXN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN #359498 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR'S ACFT AND THE B747 WERE OF THE SAME ACR. THE RPTR HAS SINCE BEEN BACK TO SDF AND STATES THAT THE HOLD SHORT LINE IS 'ABOUT 100 YARDS FROM THE END OF RWY 19.' HE HAS SEEN THE CAPT'S RPT TO THE ASRS. THE CAPT HAS CONTACTED HIS ACR AND UNION SAFETY ABOUT THIS PROB. THE RPTR WILL CALL THE FAA SAFETY HOTLINE.

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.