Narrative:

After landing at kchs on runway 33, had to turn off at end of runway, due to taxiway 'east' being closed for construction. Local controller told me to taxi via AFB military ramp and taxiway 'H', and to hold short of runway 3 (I thought he had said holdshort of runway 33). Military side of airport has no signage whatsoever. All txwys, runway holdshort signs do not exist. On taxiway 'H', I started to cross runway 3 without clearance. As I was crossing runway, controller stated 'cleared to cross, contact ground on other side.' upon contacting ground control, controller said not to worry about the crossing-there would not be a problem. Overall, I realize it was my fault for crossing without a clearance. However, I think I there was some form of holdshort sign on taxiway 'H', it might have prevented runway incursion. The FAA needs to have airforce install taxiway and runway signs on their side of airport, if civilian aircraft are going to be taxiing over there. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: akchs tower specialists stated that the charleston AFB owns the airport property and controls most of it's area, including the west air force ramp and taxiways. 'Delta' and the AFB ramp are normally non movement areas. However, while taxiway 'east' was closed due to construction, permission was given to use 'D' and the AFB ramp as a taxi route to and from the terminal. This area (the west side) was reported by the specialist to be lacking in proper sinage. Taxiways a, B, and G (the east side) are controlled by the 'charleston county aviation authority' and display proper signs and markings.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD-80 CREW MISREAD CLRNC DURING AFTER LNDG TAXI, STARTED ACROSS RWY NOT CLRED TO CROSS AT 'KCHS.'

Narrative: AFTER LNDG AT KCHS ON RWY 33, HAD TO TURN OFF AT END OF RWY, DUE TO TXWY 'E' BEING CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION. LOCAL CTLR TOLD ME TO TAXI VIA AFB MILITARY RAMP AND TXWY 'H', AND TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 3 (I THOUGHT HE HAD SAID HOLDSHORT OF RWY 33). MILITARY SIDE OF ARPT HAS NO SIGNAGE WHATSOEVER. ALL TXWYS, RWY HOLDSHORT SIGNS DO NOT EXIST. ON TXWY 'H', I STARTED TO CROSS RWY 3 WITHOUT CLRNC. AS I WAS XING RWY, CTLR STATED 'CLRED TO CROSS, CONTACT GND ON OTHER SIDE.' UPON CONTACTING GND CTL, CTLR SAID NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THE XING-THERE WOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM. OVERALL, I REALIZE IT WAS MY FAULT FOR XING WITHOUT A CLRNC. HOWEVER, I THINK I THERE WAS SOME FORM OF HOLDSHORT SIGN ON TXWY 'H', IT MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED RWY INCURSION. THE FAA NEEDS TO HAVE AIRFORCE INSTALL TXWY AND RWY SIGNS ON THEIR SIDE OF ARPT, IF CIVILIAN ACFT ARE GOING TO BE TAXIING OVER THERE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: AKCHS TWR SPECIALISTS STATED THAT THE CHARLESTON AFB OWNS THE ARPT PROPERTY AND CONTROLS MOST OF IT'S AREA, INCLUDING THE W AIR FORCE RAMP AND TAXIWAYS. 'DELTA' AND THE AFB RAMP ARE NORMALLY NON MOVEMENT AREAS. HOWEVER, WHILE TXWY 'E' WAS CLOSED DUE TO CONSTRUCTION, PERMISSION WAS GIVEN TO USE 'D' AND THE AFB RAMP AS A TAXI RTE TO AND FROM THE TERMINAL. THIS AREA (THE W SIDE) WAS RPTED BY THE SPECIALIST TO BE LACKING IN PROPER SINAGE. TAXIWAYS A, B, AND G (THE E SIDE) ARE CONTROLLED BY THE 'CHARLESTON COUNTY AVIATION AUTHORITY' AND DISPLAY PROPER SIGNS AND MARKINGS.

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.