A runway incursion and traffic conflict at sav, GA.

Attributes
ACN	530384
Time
Date	200111
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sav.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
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	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : sav.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	ground : position and hold
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 9.2 flight time total : 975 flight time type : 874
ASRS Report	530384
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 60
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I asked for progressive taxi. Was told to 'taxi to runway 36' and to 'give way to grumman...entering parking area.' my internal compass caused me to mistake runway 9/27 for runway 18/36. I began taxiing in direction grumman came from. The ground controller called and asked if I was taxiing north 'on the ramp.' I looked at my compass and realized I was. After some discussion he told me to make a left turn then taxi to the end of taxiway B. Taxiway B is actually part of the ramp at that point. He should have said 'do a 180 degree turn and taxi to runway 36 via taxiway B.' I was at an intersection and turned left. I headed for what I thought was a parallel taxiway. It was runway 36. As soon as I saw the runway markings, I realized another aircraft was on the runway and I needed to exit as soon as possible. I gunned the engine and coasted onto a closed taxiway. Later I was cleared to cross runway 36 and ordered to phone the controller. I have learned to study the airport diagram better, and to insist on progressive taxi when unfamiliar with airport. Sav needs better signage. Controllers could help by saying taxiway B is part of the ramp.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A RWY INCURSION AND TFC CONFLICT AT SAV, GA.

Narrative: I ASKED FOR PROGRESSIVE TAXI. WAS TOLD TO 'TAXI TO RWY 36' AND TO 'GIVE WAY TO GRUMMAN...ENTERING PARKING AREA.' MY INTERNAL COMPASS CAUSED ME TO MISTAKE RWY 9/27 FOR RWY 18/36. I BEGAN TAXIING IN DIRECTION GRUMMAN CAME FROM. THE GND CTLR CALLED AND ASKED IF I WAS TAXIING N 'ON THE RAMP.' I LOOKED AT MY COMPASS AND REALIZED I WAS. AFTER SOME DISCUSSION HE TOLD ME TO MAKE A L TURN THEN TAXI TO THE END OF TXWY B. TXWY B IS ACTUALLY PART OF THE RAMP AT THAT POINT. HE SHOULD HAVE SAID 'DO A 180 DEG TURN AND TAXI TO RWY 36 VIA TXWY B.' I WAS AT AN INTXN AND TURNED L. I HEADED FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A PARALLEL TXWY. IT WAS RWY 36. AS SOON AS I SAW THE RWY MARKINGS, I REALIZED ANOTHER ACFT WAS ON THE RWY AND I NEEDED TO EXIT ASAP. I GUNNED THE ENG AND COASTED ONTO A CLOSED TXWY. LATER I WAS CLRED TO CROSS RWY 36 AND ORDERED TO PHONE THE CTLR. I HAVE LEARNED TO STUDY THE ARPT DIAGRAM BETTER, AND TO INSIST ON PROGRESSIVE TAXI WHEN UNFAMILIAR WITH ARPT. SAV NEEDS BETTER SIGNAGE. CTLRS COULD HELP BY SAYING TXWY B IS PART OF THE RAMP.

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.