A C172 pilot, after landing, confused as to which exit route to take.

Attributes
ACN	498070
Time
Date	200101
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sba.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 1214
ASRS Report	498070
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to original clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight from smo to sba airport. I landed runway 25. I was told by tower to taxi along runway 25 and turn left and then taxi onto runway 15R, which intersects runway 25. At night, the hold short lines at sba are not easy to see. I started to turn off runway 25 onto runway 15L (instead of runway 15R which was still ahead of me). I wasn't sure at this point if I was turning onto the correct runway, asked sba tower if I was turning onto runway 15R (as instructed). Tower said I was actually turning onto runway 15L and I needed to continue (crossing runway 15L), then turn onto runway 15R. I did. I then taxied down runway 15R, as instructed, to my designated turnoff taxiway. At the time I was told by the tower that I was turning onto the wrong runway to taxi, I was still actually on my landing runway (runway 25) and had not begun to taxi down runway 15L. Tower did not appear concerned, but I wanted to point out that, at night, the various hold short lines at this airport are not the easiest to see.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT, AFTER LNDG, CONFUSED AS TO WHICH EXIT RTE TO TAKE.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT FROM SMO TO SBA ARPT. I LANDED RWY 25. I WAS TOLD BY TWR TO TAXI ALONG RWY 25 AND TURN L AND THEN TAXI ONTO RWY 15R, WHICH INTERSECTS RWY 25. AT NIGHT, THE HOLD SHORT LINES AT SBA ARE NOT EASY TO SEE. I STARTED TO TURN OFF RWY 25 ONTO RWY 15L (INSTEAD OF RWY 15R WHICH WAS STILL AHEAD OF ME). I WASN'T SURE AT THIS POINT IF I WAS TURNING ONTO THE CORRECT RWY, ASKED SBA TWR IF I WAS TURNING ONTO RWY 15R (AS INSTRUCTED). TWR SAID I WAS ACTUALLY TURNING ONTO RWY 15L AND I NEEDED TO CONTINUE (XING RWY 15L), THEN TURN ONTO RWY 15R. I DID. I THEN TAXIED DOWN RWY 15R, AS INSTRUCTED, TO MY DESIGNATED TURNOFF TXWY. AT THE TIME I WAS TOLD BY THE TWR THAT I WAS TURNING ONTO THE WRONG RWY TO TAXI, I WAS STILL ACTUALLY ON MY LNDG RWY (RWY 25) AND HAD NOT BEGUN TO TAXI DOWN RWY 15L. TWR DID NOT APPEAR CONCERNED, BUT I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT, AT NIGHT, THE VARIOUS HOLD SHORT LINES AT THIS ARPT ARE NOT THE EASIEST TO SEE.

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.