Narrative:

Aircraft was pushed back from gate at cvg terminal. Conditions were night with txwys covered with patchy ice. Tug driver placed nosewheel of aircraft over a position not allowing air crew to see the taxi hold point (painted square) labeled 'J4.' ramp tower instructed us to 'exit J4.' we did this noting that spot J4 and the associated taxiway, also labeled 'J4.' we did not see the taxi hold point 'J4' and contacted cvg ground control as we entered taxiway J4. Ground controller mentioned we were to obtain permission to exit ramp prior to doing so. Circumstances leading to the incursion were: 1) improper pushback by tug driver placing aircraft in a position not allowing aircraft to visually see the taxi hold point J4. 2) night operations with patchy ice on txwys/ramp obscuring some ground painted signage. 3) the taxi hold point and the taxiway having the same name of 'J4.' all other taxi hold points on cvg airport have a different designation than their associated taxiway. Corrective action: 1) change names of taxi hold points so as to not confuse them with associated txwys. 2) instruct ground personnel to clear any contamination from taxiway signage, especially painted hold points, that have no other means of determining their position. 3) remind all taxiing aircraft to 'hold' at hold points by ramp tower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FLC TAXIED BEYOND THE ASSIGNED POINT AT CVG.

Narrative: ACFT WAS PUSHED BACK FROM GATE AT CVG TERMINAL. CONDITIONS WERE NIGHT WITH TXWYS COVERED WITH PATCHY ICE. TUG DRIVER PLACED NOSEWHEEL OF ACFT OVER A POS NOT ALLOWING AIR CREW TO SEE THE TAXI HOLD POINT (PAINTED SQUARE) LABELED 'J4.' RAMP TWR INSTRUCTED US TO 'EXIT J4.' WE DID THIS NOTING THAT SPOT J4 AND THE ASSOCIATED TXWY, ALSO LABELED 'J4.' WE DID NOT SEE THE TAXI HOLD POINT 'J4' AND CONTACTED CVG GND CTL AS WE ENTERED TXWY J4. GND CTLR MENTIONED WE WERE TO OBTAIN PERMISSION TO EXIT RAMP PRIOR TO DOING SO. CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING TO THE INCURSION WERE: 1) IMPROPER PUSHBACK BY TUG DRIVER PLACING ACFT IN A POS NOT ALLOWING ACFT TO VISUALLY SEE THE TAXI HOLD POINT J4. 2) NIGHT OPS WITH PATCHY ICE ON TXWYS/RAMP OBSCURING SOME GND PAINTED SIGNAGE. 3) THE TAXI HOLD POINT AND THE TXWY HAVING THE SAME NAME OF 'J4.' ALL OTHER TAXI HOLD POINTS ON CVG ARPT HAVE A DIFFERENT DESIGNATION THAN THEIR ASSOCIATED TXWY. CORRECTIVE ACTION: 1) CHANGE NAMES OF TAXI HOLD POINTS SO AS TO NOT CONFUSE THEM WITH ASSOCIATED TXWYS. 2) INSTRUCT GND PERSONNEL TO CLR ANY CONTAMINATION FROM TXWY SIGNAGE, ESPECIALLY PAINTED HOLD POINTS, THAT HAVE NO OTHER MEANS OF DETERMINING THEIR POS. 3) REMIND ALL TAXIING ACFT TO 'HOLD' AT HOLD POINTS BY RAMP TWR.

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.