Narrative:

We were taxiing north on taxiway P. Tower told us to turn west on taxiway Z. As we turned onto taxiway Z, the captain felt that the taxiway was indeed further north. He then made a 180 degrees and started east to go further north again toward what he thought was taxiway Z. The tower questioned our turn and had us stop on a southerly heading. At this time we were north of taxiway Z and very close to the hold short line for runway 4L. Tower instructed us to taxi west on taxiway Z and hold short of runway 4L. Being closer than we expected to runway 4L we found ourselves 15-30 ft beyond the hold short line. Rather than make the situation any worse, the captain continued across and we stopped on the other side of runway 4L, as this was the departure end of runway 4L. From there, tower gave us off to ground control and we continued to the FBO. Clearly the biggest contributing factor was our unfamiliarity of the airport, as well as our refusal to ask for assistance at a busy airport. Since this occurrence, we have flown 3 other times. Both of us agree to merely slow down, or stop (if able) when we feel as though something is not right.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A WESTWIND II24 FLC GETS CONFUSED DURING A NIGHT TAXI OP AND CROSSES RWY 4L DEP END WHILE TRYING TO ESTABLISH THE LOCATION OF TXWY Z AT EWR, NJ.

Narrative: WE WERE TAXIING N ON TXWY P. TWR TOLD US TO TURN W ON TXWY Z. AS WE TURNED ONTO TXWY Z, THE CAPT FELT THAT THE TXWY WAS INDEED FURTHER N. HE THEN MADE A 180 DEGS AND STARTED E TO GO FURTHER N AGAIN TOWARD WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS TXWY Z. THE TWR QUESTIONED OUR TURN AND HAD US STOP ON A SOUTHERLY HEADING. AT THIS TIME WE WERE N OF TXWY Z AND VERY CLOSE TO THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 4L. TWR INSTRUCTED US TO TAXI W ON TXWY Z AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 4L. BEING CLOSER THAN WE EXPECTED TO RWY 4L WE FOUND OURSELVES 15-30 FT BEYOND THE HOLD SHORT LINE. RATHER THAN MAKE THE SIT ANY WORSE, THE CAPT CONTINUED ACROSS AND WE STOPPED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF RWY 4L, AS THIS WAS THE DEP END OF RWY 4L. FROM THERE, TWR GAVE US OFF TO GND CTL AND WE CONTINUED TO THE FBO. CLRLY THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS OUR UNFAMILIARITY OF THE ARPT, AS WELL AS OUR REFUSAL TO ASK FOR ASSISTANCE AT A BUSY ARPT. SINCE THIS OCCURRENCE, WE HAVE FLOWN 3 OTHER TIMES. BOTH OF US AGREE TO MERELY SLOW DOWN, OR STOP (IF ABLE) WHEN WE FEEL AS THOUGH SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT.

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.