Narrative:

During taxi for departure I inadvertently taxied across the runway boundary sign at an intersection. I realized this occurrence when I noticed the airport location sign showed that I was closer to the runway than I believed, hence I must have crossed the boundary sign. This was confirmed when I looked in the opposite direction and could barely discern the boundary sign approximately 20-30 ft away. At this point I began to taxi back to the parallel taxiway. This is also when the ground controller began to issue progressive taxi instructions to me. Eventually, I found the run-up area, completed the pre-takeoff check and departed uneventfully. Without realization at the time, this incident was the culmination of being preoccupied by the WX shift, new taxi plan, comfort of my passenger, and general unfamiliarity with the airport. I had reviewed the FAA airport facilities directory as well as the pilot's organization airport facilities directory but the information was scant in regards to txwys. Also, because I had landed monterey before (1 time, 8 months prior) I felt I would be okay. Even though I try to fully brief myself before each flight I view this as a lesson learned that I cannot afford to adopt a lax attitude for even the most common place items. Thankfully, no landing or departing traffic was in the vicinity.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT, TAXIING FOR TKOF AT MRY, PASSED THE HOLD SHORT LINE.

Narrative: DURING TAXI FOR DEP I INADVERTENTLY TAXIED ACROSS THE RWY BOUNDARY SIGN AT AN INTXN. I REALIZED THIS OCCURRENCE WHEN I NOTICED THE ARPT LOCATION SIGN SHOWED THAT I WAS CLOSER TO THE RWY THAN I BELIEVED, HENCE I MUST HAVE CROSSED THE BOUNDARY SIGN. THIS WAS CONFIRMED WHEN I LOOKED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND COULD BARELY DISCERN THE BOUNDARY SIGN APPROX 20-30 FT AWAY. AT THIS POINT I BEGAN TO TAXI BACK TO THE PARALLEL TXWY. THIS IS ALSO WHEN THE GND CTLR BEGAN TO ISSUE PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO ME. EVENTUALLY, I FOUND THE RUN-UP AREA, COMPLETED THE PRE-TKOF CHK AND DEPARTED UNEVENTFULLY. WITHOUT REALIZATION AT THE TIME, THIS INCIDENT WAS THE CULMINATION OF BEING PREOCCUPIED BY THE WX SHIFT, NEW TAXI PLAN, COMFORT OF MY PAX, AND GENERAL UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE ARPT. I HAD REVIEWED THE FAA ARPT FACILITIES DIRECTORY AS WELL AS THE PLT'S ORGANIZATION ARPT FACILITIES DIRECTORY BUT THE INFO WAS SCANT IN REGARDS TO TXWYS. ALSO, BECAUSE I HAD LANDED MONTEREY BEFORE (1 TIME, 8 MONTHS PRIOR) I FELT I WOULD BE OKAY. EVEN THOUGH I TRY TO FULLY BRIEF MYSELF BEFORE EACH FLT I VIEW THIS AS A LESSON LEARNED THAT I CANNOT AFFORD TO ADOPT A LAX ATTITUDE FOR EVEN THE MOST COMMON PLACE ITEMS. THANKFULLY, NO LNDG OR DEPARTING TFC WAS IN THE VICINITY.

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.