Narrative:

We as a crew received clearance from ground control to taxi to runway 36, hold short approach end of runway 3. Hold short lines adjacent to sign appeared to be painted over with black paint. I assumed that this was meant to indicate their removal. Expecting to find a replacement line further along the taxiway I continued to taxi a short distance before stopping to ask the ground controller where the hold short line for runway 3 approach was located. The ground controller stated that we had passed it, then instructed us to expedite taxi to runway 36. I believe the cause of the incursion was primarily my decision to interpretation ambiguous signage using only my own judgement, rather than querying the ground controller as soon as it was encountered. Contributing to the problem is the use of nonstandard markings in the form of dark paint rather than yellow.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E120 FLC MISIDENTS HOLD SHORT LINE AND ENTERS RWY ENVIRONMENT.

Narrative: WE AS A CREW RECEIVED CLRNC FROM GND CTL TO TAXI TO RWY 36, HOLD SHORT APCH END OF RWY 3. HOLD SHORT LINES ADJACENT TO SIGN APPEARED TO BE PAINTED OVER WITH BLACK PAINT. I ASSUMED THAT THIS WAS MEANT TO INDICATE THEIR REMOVAL. EXPECTING TO FIND A REPLACEMENT LINE FURTHER ALONG THE TXWY I CONTINUED TO TAXI A SHORT DISTANCE BEFORE STOPPING TO ASK THE GND CTLR WHERE THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 3 APCH WAS LOCATED. THE GND CTLR STATED THAT WE HAD PASSED IT, THEN INSTRUCTED US TO EXPEDITE TAXI TO RWY 36. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE OF THE INCURSION WAS PRIMARILY MY DECISION TO INTERP AMBIGUOUS SIGNAGE USING ONLY MY OWN JUDGEMENT, RATHER THAN QUERYING THE GND CTLR AS SOON AS IT WAS ENCOUNTERED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROB IS THE USE OF NONSTANDARD MARKINGS IN THE FORM OF DARK PAINT RATHER THAN YELLOW.

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.