Narrative:

I was captain on an air carrier flight from boston to philadelphia on oct/fri/97. I landed at approximately XA00 pm on runway 9R, exited the runway onto the parallel taxiway and proceeded. Tower told us to taxi on taxiway north and hold short of runway 9L for departing traffic. I told my copilot to request taxiway M since it would provide an easier taxi route to our gate. He granted that request. On turning onto taxiway M my copilot reminded me to stop short of runway 9L. In my best judgement, I stopped with which I felt was safe and adequate clearance from the runway because in retrospect I don't recall seeing a distinguishable hold line on a very dark taxiway. Due to a potential problem and to enhance safety I recommend the following for nighttime operations when landing to the east at philadelphia international airport. Put in a hold taxi line/runway light identify system to make it easier to see in reduced visibility situation or when snow, etc, is covering the taxiway. Repaint the existing hold line and use some type of fluorescent stripes to clearly identify the hold line if is allowable and doesn't pose a foreign object damage problem. If the above recommendations cannot be accomplished I would consider using it for a daytime operation only.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DC9 FLC RPTS THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO SEE THE RWY 9L HOLD LINE ON TXWY M. THE RPTR RECOMMENDS SEVERAL MEASURES TO MAKE THE LINE MORE VISIBLE.

Narrative: I WAS CAPT ON AN ACR FLT FROM BOSTON TO PHILADELPHIA ON OCT/FRI/97. I LANDED AT APPROX XA00 PM ON RWY 9R, EXITED THE RWY ONTO THE PARALLEL TXWY AND PROCEEDED. TWR TOLD US TO TAXI ON TXWY N AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 9L FOR DEPARTING TFC. I TOLD MY COPLT TO REQUEST TXWY M SINCE IT WOULD PROVIDE AN EASIER TAXI RTE TO OUR GATE. HE GRANTED THAT REQUEST. ON TURNING ONTO TXWY M MY COPLT REMINDED ME TO STOP SHORT OF RWY 9L. IN MY BEST JUDGEMENT, I STOPPED WITH WHICH I FELT WAS SAFE AND ADEQUATE CLRNC FROM THE RWY BECAUSE IN RETROSPECT I DON'T RECALL SEEING A DISTINGUISHABLE HOLD LINE ON A VERY DARK TXWY. DUE TO A POTENTIAL PROB AND TO ENHANCE SAFETY I RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING FOR NIGHTTIME OPS WHEN LNDG TO THE E AT PHILADELPHIA INTL ARPT. PUT IN A HOLD TAXI LINE/RWY LIGHT IDENT SYS TO MAKE IT EASIER TO SEE IN REDUCED VISIBILITY SIT OR WHEN SNOW, ETC, IS COVERING THE TXWY. REPAINT THE EXISTING HOLD LINE AND USE SOME TYPE OF FLUORESCENT STRIPES TO CLRLY IDENT THE HOLD LINE IF IS ALLOWABLE AND DOESN'T POSE A FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE PROB. IF THE ABOVE RECOMMENDATIONS CANNOT BE ACCOMPLISHED I WOULD CONSIDER USING IT FOR A DAYTIME OP ONLY.

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.