Narrative:

The airport lou-louisville bowman-has no (none!) signs placed on the ground. Having multiple taxiways and multiple (3) runways, it is very hard to recognize where the airplane is at. This allow the airplanes to taxi on active runway without recognizing the danger. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: pilot flies lou quite often and is familiar with the airport. Even so, he, '...quite often loses perspective as to where he is with relation to a certain taxiway or runway...' reporter noted that he has more trouble at night or at sunset, particularly when the ground/tower is closed. When open, the controllers issue progressive taxi instructions such as, a '...turn left at the next taxiway...' with those elements missing a pilot may find himself on an active runway. He emphasized that the only runway sign is for temporary runway 19, with a small white sign that is not lit at night. All other runways and txwys are lacking in signs. The runway resurfacing going on two runways are not an associated cause of the problem, that problem has existed long before. The airport is quite busy with a lot of GA and commuter traffic. Reporter said that he knew of no traffic incidents related to this problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE-23 PVT PLT RPT ON MISSING RWY AND TXWY SIGNS AT BOWMAN FIELD, LOU, KY.

Narrative: THE ARPT LOU-LOUISVILLE BOWMAN-HAS NO (NONE!) SIGNS PLACED ON THE GND. HAVING MULTIPLE TAXIWAYS AND MULTIPLE (3) RWYS, IT IS VERY HARD TO RECOGNIZE WHERE THE AIRPLANE IS AT. THIS ALLOW THE AIRPLANES TO TAXI ON ACTIVE RWY WITHOUT RECOGNIZING THE DANGER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: PLT FLIES LOU QUITE OFTEN AND IS FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT. EVEN SO, HE, '...QUITE OFTEN LOSES PERSPECTIVE AS TO WHERE HE IS WITH RELATION TO A CERTAIN TXWY OR RWY...' RPTR NOTED THAT HE HAS MORE TROUBLE AT NIGHT OR AT SUNSET, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE GND/TWR IS CLOSED. WHEN OPEN, THE CTLRS ISSUE PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS SUCH AS, A '...TURN LEFT AT THE NEXT TXWY...' WITH THOSE ELEMENTS MISSING A PLT MAY FIND HIMSELF ON AN ACTIVE RWY. HE EMPHASIZED THAT THE ONLY RWY SIGN IS FOR TEMPORARY RWY 19, WITH A SMALL WHITE SIGN THAT IS NOT LIT AT NIGHT. ALL OTHER RWYS AND TXWYS ARE LACKING IN SIGNS. THE RWY RESURFACING GOING ON TWO RWYS ARE NOT AN ASSOCIATED CAUSE OF THE PROB, THAT PROB HAS EXISTED LONG BEFORE. THE ARPT IS QUITE BUSY WITH A LOT OF GA AND COMMUTER TFC. RPTR SAID THAT HE KNEW OF NO TFC INCIDENTS RELATED TO THIS PROB.

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.