A confused private pilot in a PA28 makes a 180 degree turn on the taxiway after clearing the runway ...

Attributes
ACN	422639
Time
Date	199812
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : frg
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi landing other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 450 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	422639
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe incursion : runway non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

It was a dark, moonless night when I was landing on runway 32 of republic airport. I was cleared to land, on final, when I heard that another aircraft, a stop-and-go trainer, was cleared to land behind me and that he was 3/4 - 1 mi behind me. I landed with full flaps and slowed down to taxi speed before the first turnoff. ATC advised me to exit the runway at taxiway A5, which was the first turnoff. I never exited on taxiway A5 before, and since it was very dark, I was taxiing slowly, searching for the turnoff. I reached the A5 exit, turned off the runway onto taxiway A5. The A5 turnoff seemed unusual to me since I turned approximately 150 degrees instead of 90 degrees. As I turned off the runway, I was instructed by the tower to taxi to parking with the tower. As I was taxiing, I could not see very much and thought I was taxiing the wrong way. I decided that I missed the correct taxiway to taxi to the parking area. Then, I made the mistake of turning 180 degrees to go back and find the correct taxiway that would take me to parking. Instead, I see the solid white runway edge line 30 ft in front of me and an airplane landing. A few moments before that, ATC instructed me to stop the airplane, which I did. The other airplane landed uneventfully, after which I was given progressives by ATC and taxied to parking uneventfully. I found out that the turnoff was indeed about 150 degrees and there was a lot more to go to clear the runway because the hold line is some distance away. It turns out I never cleared the runway. If it was a bigger plane landing, with the wingspan wider than the runway, I might not be here today. I thank dearly the controller who was attentive enough to watch me. I learned that if not sure, I will always give ATC a call before making a drastic maneuver such as a 180 degree turn. Also, I will taxi for as long as it takes on the turnoff to cross the hold line, not just think that I will cross it when getting off the runway. Also, I will always stay on the yellow line, even when transitioning from a runway to taxiway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CONFUSED PVT PLT IN A PA28 MAKES A 180 DEG TURN ON THE TXWY AFTER CLRING THE RWY AT FRG. HE IS STOPPED BY THE CTLR JUST AS HE CROSSES THE HOLD LINE, FOR A SECOND TIME. IT WAS A MOONLESS LIGHT.

Narrative: IT WAS A DARK, MOONLESS NIGHT WHEN I WAS LNDG ON RWY 32 OF REPUBLIC ARPT. I WAS CLRED TO LAND, ON FINAL, WHEN I HEARD THAT ANOTHER ACFT, A STOP-AND-GO TRAINER, WAS CLRED TO LAND BEHIND ME AND THAT HE WAS 3/4 - 1 MI BEHIND ME. I LANDED WITH FULL FLAPS AND SLOWED DOWN TO TAXI SPD BEFORE THE FIRST TURNOFF. ATC ADVISED ME TO EXIT THE RWY AT TXWY A5, WHICH WAS THE FIRST TURNOFF. I NEVER EXITED ON TXWY A5 BEFORE, AND SINCE IT WAS VERY DARK, I WAS TAXIING SLOWLY, SEARCHING FOR THE TURNOFF. I REACHED THE A5 EXIT, TURNED OFF THE RWY ONTO TXWY A5. THE A5 TURNOFF SEEMED UNUSUAL TO ME SINCE I TURNED APPROX 150 DEGS INSTEAD OF 90 DEGS. AS I TURNED OFF THE RWY, I WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE TWR TO TAXI TO PARKING WITH THE TWR. AS I WAS TAXIING, I COULD NOT SEE VERY MUCH AND THOUGHT I WAS TAXIING THE WRONG WAY. I DECIDED THAT I MISSED THE CORRECT TXWY TO TAXI TO THE PARKING AREA. THEN, I MADE THE MISTAKE OF TURNING 180 DEGS TO GO BACK AND FIND THE CORRECT TXWY THAT WOULD TAKE ME TO PARKING. INSTEAD, I SEE THE SOLID WHITE RWY EDGE LINE 30 FT IN FRONT OF ME AND AN AIRPLANE LNDG. A FEW MOMENTS BEFORE THAT, ATC INSTRUCTED ME TO STOP THE AIRPLANE, WHICH I DID. THE OTHER AIRPLANE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY, AFTER WHICH I WAS GIVEN PROGRESSIVES BY ATC AND TAXIED TO PARKING UNEVENTFULLY. I FOUND OUT THAT THE TURNOFF WAS INDEED ABOUT 150 DEGS AND THERE WAS A LOT MORE TO GO TO CLR THE RWY BECAUSE THE HOLD LINE IS SOME DISTANCE AWAY. IT TURNS OUT I NEVER CLRED THE RWY. IF IT WAS A BIGGER PLANE LNDG, WITH THE WINGSPAN WIDER THAN THE RWY, I MIGHT NOT BE HERE TODAY. I THANK DEARLY THE CTLR WHO WAS ATTENTIVE ENOUGH TO WATCH ME. I LEARNED THAT IF NOT SURE, I WILL ALWAYS GIVE ATC A CALL BEFORE MAKING A DRASTIC MANEUVER SUCH AS A 180 DEG TURN. ALSO, I WILL TAXI FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES ON THE TURNOFF TO CROSS THE HOLD LINE, NOT JUST THINK THAT I WILL CROSS IT WHEN GETTING OFF THE RWY. ALSO, I WILL ALWAYS STAY ON THE YELLOW LINE, EVEN WHEN TRANSITIONING FROM A RWY TO TXWY.

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.

A confused private pilot in a PA28 makes a 180 degree turn on the taxiway after clearing the runway at frg. He is stopped by the controller just as he crosses the hold line, for a second time. It was a moonless light.