Runway incursion at santa maria, ca.

Attributes
ACN	490168
Time
Date	200010
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smx.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lax.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-20 J (201)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	490168
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	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:

Taxiing to runway at unfamiliar field, did not see hold short line and taxied beyond it onto runway to which I had been cleared. There was no other traffic in the area and no aircraft using that runway. Contributing factors were: unfamiliarity with field coupled with a taxi clearance I did not anticipate (solution, prepare better and ask for progressive taxi instructions), distraction (solution, identing precise spot to which I am taxiing and focus outside on taxiway until reaching it), and failure to spot signage/markings (solution, I have obtained and will continue to obtain remedial training on this). Finally, I believe I had relaxed my vigilance, and the lack of someone else using the runway in question probably hurt me. I usually pay attention to arriving/departing traffic as well as other taxiing aircraft, and being alone on my way to this runway (plus knowing no one was using it) subconsciously 'lowered my guard.' one must remain vigilant all the time, however, as this very embarrassing incident proves.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY INCURSION AT SANTA MARIA, CA.

Narrative: TAXIING TO RWY AT UNFAMILIAR FIELD, DID NOT SEE HOLD SHORT LINE AND TAXIED BEYOND IT ONTO RWY TO WHICH I HAD BEEN CLRED. THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC IN THE AREA AND NO ACFT USING THAT RWY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: UNFAMILIARITY WITH FIELD COUPLED WITH A TAXI CLRNC I DID NOT ANTICIPATE (SOLUTION, PREPARE BETTER AND ASK FOR PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS), DISTR (SOLUTION, IDENTING PRECISE SPOT TO WHICH I AM TAXIING AND FOCUS OUTSIDE ON TXWY UNTIL REACHING IT), AND FAILURE TO SPOT SIGNAGE/MARKINGS (SOLUTION, I HAVE OBTAINED AND WILL CONTINUE TO OBTAIN REMEDIAL TRAINING ON THIS). FINALLY, I BELIEVE I HAD RELAXED MY VIGILANCE, AND THE LACK OF SOMEONE ELSE USING THE RWY IN QUESTION PROBABLY HURT ME. I USUALLY PAY ATTN TO ARRIVING/DEPARTING TFC AS WELL AS OTHER TAXIING ACFT, AND BEING ALONE ON MY WAY TO THIS RWY (PLUS KNOWING NO ONE WAS USING IT) SUBCONSCIOUSLY 'LOWERED MY GUARD.' ONE MUST REMAIN VIGILANT ALL THE TIME, HOWEVER, AS THIS VERY EMBARRASSING INCIDENT PROVES.

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.