AA5 pilot taxied on the wrong runway at abq.

Attributes
ACN	495472
Time
Date	200012
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abq.airport
State Reference	NM
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cheetah, Tiger, Traveler
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 1020 flight time type : 55
ASRS Report	495472
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other incursion : runway non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Incident occurred during taxi to departure runway. I was assigned runway 8 for departure. Runway 8 and runway 12 thresholds are co-located from the same taxiway and I was south of the runway taxiing northward. Runway 12 is the first runway one will approach followed by runway 8 when taxiing in this direction. I did not see any clear identify of runway location signs on left side of taxiway and thought I taxied far enough past the threshold of runway 12. As I lined up with the runway centerline I saw ahead of me what I mistook to be runway distance remaining signs, but were actually runway location signs for runway 12 (yellow numbers on black background). Runway distance remaining signs are white numbers on black background. Runway 8 is 13000 ft so I thought it was possible that I was on runway 8 about 500 ft from the threshold on the active side. I was in doubt and double-checked with the directional gyroscope and magnetic compass which confirmed I was aligned on runway 12. I applied power (not full) in order to turn the nosewheel to taxi to runway 8. Tower at that time advised I was on runway 12 and to taxi to runway 8. Suggest better signs denoting runways 8 and 12 on area just to left of taxiway. Instead of just numbers on runway location signs, add 'runway' next to the number, ie, 'runway 12 not just '12.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AA5 PLT TAXIED ON THE WRONG RWY AT ABQ.

Narrative: INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING TAXI TO DEP RWY. I WAS ASSIGNED RWY 8 FOR DEP. RWY 8 AND RWY 12 THRESHOLDS ARE CO-LOCATED FROM THE SAME TXWY AND I WAS S OF THE RWY TAXIING NORTHWARD. RWY 12 IS THE FIRST RWY ONE WILL APCH FOLLOWED BY RWY 8 WHEN TAXIING IN THIS DIRECTION. I DID NOT SEE ANY CLR IDENT OF RWY LOCATION SIGNS ON L SIDE OF TXWY AND THOUGHT I TAXIED FAR ENOUGH PAST THE THRESHOLD OF RWY 12. AS I LINED UP WITH THE RWY CTRLINE I SAW AHEAD OF ME WHAT I MISTOOK TO BE RWY DISTANCE REMAINING SIGNS, BUT WERE ACTUALLY RWY LOCATION SIGNS FOR RWY 12 (YELLOW NUMBERS ON BLACK BACKGROUND). RWY DISTANCE REMAINING SIGNS ARE WHITE NUMBERS ON BLACK BACKGROUND. RWY 8 IS 13000 FT SO I THOUGHT IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT I WAS ON RWY 8 ABOUT 500 FT FROM THE THRESHOLD ON THE ACTIVE SIDE. I WAS IN DOUBT AND DOUBLE-CHKED WITH THE DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE AND MAGNETIC COMPASS WHICH CONFIRMED I WAS ALIGNED ON RWY 12. I APPLIED PWR (NOT FULL) IN ORDER TO TURN THE NOSEWHEEL TO TAXI TO RWY 8. TWR AT THAT TIME ADVISED I WAS ON RWY 12 AND TO TAXI TO RWY 8. SUGGEST BETTER SIGNS DENOTING RWYS 8 AND 12 ON AREA JUST TO L OF TXWY. INSTEAD OF JUST NUMBERS ON RWY LOCATION SIGNS, ADD 'RWY' NEXT TO THE NUMBER, IE, 'RWY 12 NOT JUST '12.'

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.