Pilot of a piper PA22 turned the wrong way during taxi out for takeoff, resulting in ground controll...

Attributes
ACN	471212
Time
Date	200004
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lzu.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Piper Single Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 530 flight time type : 340
ASRS Report	471212
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : taxiway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I landed at lzu to pick up an instructor for my BFR. After picking up the instructor, I called tower to get permission to taxi to departure runway. Tower said 'you are cleared to taxi via taxiway D to runway 25....' I began taxiing from the FBO ramp. There is a large, nonstandard sign erected at the juncture of 2 txwys. This sign is yellow backgnd with black letter 'D.' because this sign is close to the taxiway junction and because it is not standard per aim 2.3.9, I got confused and thought taxiway D was the crossing taxiway and I turned the aircraft left to enter it. The controller scolded me for not using taxiway D, then told me to proceed via another route. No aircraft conflict arose, there was no other aircraft on taxiway at the time. Conclusion -- taxiway signs should conform to aim paragraph 2.3.9 (black backgnd with yellow letter, surrounded by yellow box). The lzu sign(south) are yellow backgnd with black letter and no surrounding box. This confused me. Also, sign should be set back from crossing taxiway. Unfamiliarity with the airport was a factor. I should have asked for progressive taxi instructions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A PIPER PA22 TURNED THE WRONG WAY DURING TAXI OUT FOR TKOF, RESULTING IN GND CTLR ALERTING HIM TO THAT FACT AND AMENDING HIS TAXI INSTRUCTIONS FROM THAT POINT ON.

Narrative: I LANDED AT LZU TO PICK UP AN INSTRUCTOR FOR MY BFR. AFTER PICKING UP THE INSTRUCTOR, I CALLED TWR TO GET PERMISSION TO TAXI TO DEP RWY. TWR SAID 'YOU ARE CLRED TO TAXI VIA TXWY D TO RWY 25....' I BEGAN TAXIING FROM THE FBO RAMP. THERE IS A LARGE, NONSTANDARD SIGN ERECTED AT THE JUNCTURE OF 2 TXWYS. THIS SIGN IS YELLOW BACKGND WITH BLACK LETTER 'D.' BECAUSE THIS SIGN IS CLOSE TO THE TXWY JUNCTION AND BECAUSE IT IS NOT STANDARD PER AIM 2.3.9, I GOT CONFUSED AND THOUGHT TXWY D WAS THE XING TXWY AND I TURNED THE ACFT L TO ENTER IT. THE CTLR SCOLDED ME FOR NOT USING TXWY D, THEN TOLD ME TO PROCEED VIA ANOTHER RTE. NO ACFT CONFLICT AROSE, THERE WAS NO OTHER ACFT ON TXWY AT THE TIME. CONCLUSION -- TXWY SIGNS SHOULD CONFORM TO AIM PARAGRAPH 2.3.9 (BLACK BACKGND WITH YELLOW LETTER, SURROUNDED BY YELLOW BOX). THE LZU SIGN(S) ARE YELLOW BACKGND WITH BLACK LETTER AND NO SURROUNDING BOX. THIS CONFUSED ME. ALSO, SIGN SHOULD BE SET BACK FROM XING TXWY. UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE ARPT WAS A FACTOR. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS.

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.

Pilot of a piper PA22 turned the wrong way during taxi out for takeoff, resulting in ground controller alerting him to that fact and amending his taxi instructions from that point on.