PA23 pilot had a runway incursion when his passenger said she smelled something burning.

Attributes
ACN	512430
Time
Date	200105
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sts.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-23 Apache (& Geronimo Apache)
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	512430
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : far non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On may/mon/01 at approximately XA00, I taxied to the approach end of runway 14 at santa rosa, ca, sonoma county airport. As I was taxiing about 50-100 ft from the hold line, we heard a very loud squeal on the radio. My passenger, who is not a pilot. Startled me when she said that she smelled something burning. I considered that this may be an emergency and reached under the panel to check my fuses and wires for heat. When I sat up again I did not see the hold line in front of me, so I fully stopped. I started to make a 180 degree turn, but was told by the controller to stay where I was. I did as the controller requested, and I reported that I was ready to go and he cleared me for takeoff on runway 19 which intersects with runway 14 on the approach end. I passed the hold line by about 10 ft. Nothing was blocked and we were in no danger as we were still quite far from the runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA23 PLT HAD A RWY INCURSION WHEN HIS PAX SAID SHE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING.

Narrative: ON MAY/MON/01 AT APPROX XA00, I TAXIED TO THE APCH END OF RWY 14 AT SANTA ROSA, CA, SONOMA COUNTY ARPT. AS I WAS TAXIING ABOUT 50-100 FT FROM THE HOLD LINE, WE HEARD A VERY LOUD SQUEAL ON THE RADIO. MY PAX, WHO IS NOT A PLT. STARTLED ME WHEN SHE SAID THAT SHE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. I CONSIDERED THAT THIS MAY BE AN EMER AND REACHED UNDER THE PANEL TO CHK MY FUSES AND WIRES FOR HEAT. WHEN I SAT UP AGAIN I DID NOT SEE THE HOLD LINE IN FRONT OF ME, SO I FULLY STOPPED. I STARTED TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN, BUT WAS TOLD BY THE CTLR TO STAY WHERE I WAS. I DID AS THE CTLR REQUESTED, AND I RPTED THAT I WAS READY TO GO AND HE CLRED ME FOR TKOF ON RWY 19 WHICH INTERSECTS WITH RWY 14 ON THE APCH END. I PASSED THE HOLD LINE BY ABOUT 10 FT. NOTHING WAS BLOCKED AND WE WERE IN NO DANGER AS WE WERE STILL QUITE FAR FROM THE RWY.

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.