Narrative:

We were in cleveland for the second time that day, sitting at the gate when I called for taxi clearance. Earlier we were given the coded violet route. This time it was dark and we were given taxi to runway 5L via taxiway west, taxiway left, hold short of taxiway right. We started out of our gate at the end of our concourse. Nearby there was some construction barricades on taxiway west. The captain and I began looking for the signage for taxiway west and taxiway left. The signs for taxiway west, taxiway left and taxiway J were kind of confusing in the dark. The captain said he had it and called for the taxi checklist. I began running the checklist and when I looked up, I realized he was on taxiway west headed for runway 5R, he had missed taxiway left and was thinking that runway 5R was taxiway left. He began to realize his mistake when I looked up and told him to stop. I pointed out an airplane that was taking off on taxiway 5R. About this time, the ground controller saw us and told us to turn around and taxi down taxiway left to runway 5L holding short at taxiway K. I firmly believe we did not cross into the runway environment at any time, but the situation was very confusing in the dark. With taxiway west under construction so close to us, and the actual route on taxiway to taxiway left so short, I believe there would have been less confusion if we had just been given clearance to taxi to runway 5L via taxiway left, holding short of taxiway right. The signage there is also confusing as to where taxiway J, taxiway left, and taxiway west join and converge. Next time I will watch my captain until we are established on taxiway left and have a straight shot of our taxi before I start running a checklist.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: D328 FO BRINGS TO PIC ATTN THAT HE IS APCHING THE WRONG RWY WHICH IS ATTRIBUTED TO CLE CONSTRUCTION AND CONFUSING TXWY SIGNAGE.

Narrative: WE WERE IN CLEVELAND FOR THE SECOND TIME THAT DAY, SITTING AT THE GATE WHEN I CALLED FOR TAXI CLRNC. EARLIER WE WERE GIVEN THE CODED VIOLET RTE. THIS TIME IT WAS DARK AND WE WERE GIVEN TAXI TO RWY 5L VIA TXWY W, TXWY L, HOLD SHORT OF TXWY R. WE STARTED OUT OF OUR GATE AT THE END OF OUR CONCOURSE. NEARBY THERE WAS SOME CONSTRUCTION BARRICADES ON TXWY W. THE CAPT AND I BEGAN LOOKING FOR THE SIGNAGE FOR TXWY W AND TXWY L. THE SIGNS FOR TXWY W, TXWY L AND TXWY J WERE KIND OF CONFUSING IN THE DARK. THE CAPT SAID HE HAD IT AND CALLED FOR THE TAXI CHKLIST. I BEGAN RUNNING THE CHKLIST AND WHEN I LOOKED UP, I REALIZED HE WAS ON TXWY W HEADED FOR RWY 5R, HE HAD MISSED TXWY L AND WAS THINKING THAT RWY 5R WAS TXWY L. HE BEGAN TO REALIZE HIS MISTAKE WHEN I LOOKED UP AND TOLD HIM TO STOP. I POINTED OUT AN AIRPLANE THAT WAS TAKING OFF ON TXWY 5R. ABOUT THIS TIME, THE GND CTLR SAW US AND TOLD US TO TURN AROUND AND TAXI DOWN TXWY L TO RWY 5L HOLDING SHORT AT TXWY K. I FIRMLY BELIEVE WE DID NOT CROSS INTO THE RWY ENVIRONMENT AT ANY TIME, BUT THE SIT WAS VERY CONFUSING IN THE DARK. WITH TXWY W UNDER CONSTRUCTION SO CLOSE TO US, AND THE ACTUAL RTE ON TXWY TO TXWY L SO SHORT, I BELIEVE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN LESS CONFUSION IF WE HAD JUST BEEN GIVEN CLRNC TO TAXI TO RWY 5L VIA TXWY L, HOLDING SHORT OF TXWY R. THE SIGNAGE THERE IS ALSO CONFUSING AS TO WHERE TXWY J, TXWY L, AND TXWY W JOIN AND CONVERGE. NEXT TIME I WILL WATCH MY CAPT UNTIL WE ARE ESTABLISHED ON TXWY L AND HAVE A STRAIGHT SHOT OF OUR TAXI BEFORE I START RUNNING A CHKLIST.

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.