Narrative:

We completed a landing on runway 4R at ewr, exited onto taxiway J and contacted ground control. We were given clearance to taxi to the FBO via taxiway P to hold short of runway 29. We were cleared to cross runway 29 to taxiway Z hold short of runway 4L. Taxiway P entered into a very large paved area which provided some confusion about where taxiway Z was. We taxied onto taxiway Z and a short distance later came to a runway intersection. I saw the hold line and a runway marking sign for runway 22R. A brief discussion between the crew took place and we agreed that this was not the hold short line for runway 4L as the clearance had stated. The relationship between runway 4L and runway 22R was not immediately recognized. As I crossed the hold line and approached the runway I looked down the runway and noticed an aircraft on its takeoff roll. At that point the controller said, aircraft X stop. We did and stopped on the very end of the runway. After a few moments we were instructed to continue the taxi. In my opinion the intersection of the runway and taxiway could have been more clearly marked with a '4L-22R' sign as the intersection of 11-29 was and the other intxns along 4L-22R were. The quick decision we had to make after turning onto taxiway Z was based on a sign indicating that this was the hold short point for runway 22R, yet the instructions as given and read back were to hold short of runway 4L. We did not make the mental relationship of runway 4L and 22R quick enough. Taxi instructions given by controllers that are in agreement with the airport signs would have helped. Taxi instructions can get very detailed and sometimes confusing. I have noticed that many controllers are issuing runway hold instructions using both runway end designations as: 'hold short runway 4L-22R.' this along with runway signs that reflect both directions of the runway would help. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated when he was instructed to hold short of runway 04L, he only saw the number 22R on a sign and did not connect the relationship at the time. He said a B-737 crossed overhead as he was clearing the runway. Reporter suggested both numbers be posted on the signs and for controllers to state both numbers in their instructions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LJ CREW AT EWR INSTRUCTED TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 04L CROSSED A RWY DESIGNATED 22R.

Narrative: WE COMPLETED A LNDG ON RWY 4R AT EWR, EXITED ONTO TAXIWAY J AND CONTACTED GND CTL. WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO TAXI TO THE FBO VIA TAXIWAY P TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 29. WE WERE CLEARED TO CROSS RWY 29 TO TAXIWAY Z HOLD SHORT OF RWY 4L. TAXIWAY P ENTERED INTO A VERY LARGE PAVED AREA WHICH PROVIDED SOME CONFUSION ABOUT WHERE TAXIWAY Z WAS. WE TAXIED ONTO TAXIWAY Z AND A SHORT DISTANCE LATER CAME TO A RWY INTXN. I SAW THE HOLD LINE AND A RWY MARKING SIGN FOR RWY 22R. A BRIEF DISCUSSION BTWN THE CREW TOOK PLACE AND WE AGREED THAT THIS WAS NOT THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 4L AS THE CLRNC HAD STATED. THE RELATIONSHIP BTWN RWY 4L AND RWY 22R WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED. AS I CROSSED THE HOLD LINE AND APPROACHED THE RWY I LOOKED DOWN THE RWY AND NOTICED AN ACFT ON ITS TAKEOFF ROLL. AT THAT POINT THE CTLR SAID, ACFT X STOP. WE DID AND STOPPED ON THE VERY END OF THE RWY. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CONTINUE THE TAXI. IN MY OPINION THE INTXN OF THE RWY AND TAXIWAY COULD HAVE BEEN MORE CLEARLY MARKED WITH A '4L-22R' SIGN AS THE INTXN OF 11-29 WAS AND THE OTHER INTXNS ALONG 4L-22R WERE. THE QUICK DECISION WE HAD TO MAKE AFTER TURNING ONTO TAXIWAY Z WAS BASED ON A SIGN INDICATING THAT THIS WAS THE HOLD SHORT POINT FOR RUNWAY 22R, YET THE INSTRUCTIONS AS GIVEN AND READ BACK WERE TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 4L. WE DID NOT MAKE THE MENTAL RELATIONSHIP OF RWY 4L AND 22R QUICK ENOUGH. TAXI INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY CONTROLLERS THAT ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH THE ARPT SIGNS WOULD HAVE HELPED. TAXI INSTRUCTIONS CAN GET VERY DETAILED AND SOMETIMES CONFUSING. I HAVE NOTICED THAT MANY CTLRS ARE ISSUING RWY HOLD INSTRUCTIONS USING BOTH RWY END DESIGNATIONS AS: 'HOLD SHORT RWY 4L-22R.' THIS ALONG WITH RWY SIGNS THAT REFLECT BOTH DIRECTIONS OF THE RWY WOULD HELP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED WHEN HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 04L, HE ONLY SAW THE NUMBER 22R ON A SIGN AND DID NOT CONNECT THE RELATIONSHIP AT THE TIME. HE SAID A B-737 CROSSED OVERHEAD AS HE WAS CLEARING THE RWY. RPTR SUGGESTED BOTH NUMBERS BE POSTED ON THE SIGNS AND FOR CONTROLLERS TO STATE BOTH NUMBERS IN THEIR 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.