Narrative:

I dropped off a passenger at mtn and was preparing to taxi IFR to fdk. I was unfamiliar with the airport and it had become dark. I was taxiing from an area known locally as 'strawberry point.' I started taxiing towards the runway and since I was unfamiliar, I requested progressive taxi instructions. The ground controller was very irritated. He said he saw an aircraft, but didn't know if it was my aircraft on the taxiway. I told him I was approaching a hold short line, but couldn't be sure it led to the runway. I told him I was adjacent to the windsock and once again requested help verifying my position. He offered no assistance. I sat there for a moment, undecided on whether to proceed or what. I could see only taxiway lights and did not see any runway lights. Immediately after crossing the hold short line, the controller screamed 'did I give you a clearance to enter the runway?' I was totally confused and disoriented. The controller then, in a condescending manner, directed me down the runway (runway 35) and off at a taxiway near the tower. He told me, 'taxiway lights are blue, runway lights are white.' I guess he had a lot of fun at my expense. I then taxied down the taxiway to where I started. He then cleared me for takeoff on runway 33. I was sure glad to get away from him and mtn. Unfamiliarity with the airport and poor runway lighting, and the controller's badgering, and my poor decision to cross a hold short line all contributed to this runway incursion. At least no one got hurt.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPER PA284 PVT PLT CROSSED RWY AT NIGHT WITHOUT CLRNC. RPTR HAD STOPPED AT THE HOLD SHORT LINE AND ASKED FOR PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS DUE TO HIS UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE ARPT.

Narrative: I DROPPED OFF A PAX AT MTN AND WAS PREPARING TO TAXI IFR TO FDK. I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT AND IT HAD BECOME DARK. I WAS TAXIING FROM AN AREA KNOWN LOCALLY AS 'STRAWBERRY POINT.' I STARTED TAXIING TOWARDS THE RWY AND SINCE I WAS UNFAMILIAR, I REQUESTED PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. THE GND CTLR WAS VERY IRRITATED. HE SAID HE SAW AN ACFT, BUT DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS MY ACFT ON THE TXWY. I TOLD HIM I WAS APCHING A HOLD SHORT LINE, BUT COULDN'T BE SURE IT LED TO THE RWY. I TOLD HIM I WAS ADJACENT TO THE WINDSOCK AND ONCE AGAIN REQUESTED HELP VERIFYING MY POS. HE OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. I SAT THERE FOR A MOMENT, UNDECIDED ON WHETHER TO PROCEED OR WHAT. I COULD SEE ONLY TXWY LIGHTS AND DID NOT SEE ANY RWY LIGHTS. IMMEDIATELY AFTER XING THE HOLD SHORT LINE, THE CTLR SCREAMED 'DID I GIVE YOU A CLRNC TO ENTER THE RWY?' I WAS TOTALLY CONFUSED AND DISORIENTED. THE CTLR THEN, IN A CONDESCENDING MANNER, DIRECTED ME DOWN THE RWY (RWY 35) AND OFF AT A TXWY NEAR THE TWR. HE TOLD ME, 'TXWY LIGHTS ARE BLUE, RWY LIGHTS ARE WHITE.' I GUESS HE HAD A LOT OF FUN AT MY EXPENSE. I THEN TAXIED DOWN THE TXWY TO WHERE I STARTED. HE THEN CLRED ME FOR TKOF ON RWY 33. I WAS SURE GLAD TO GET AWAY FROM HIM AND MTN. UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE ARPT AND POOR RWY LIGHTING, AND THE CTLR'S BADGERING, AND MY POOR DECISION TO CROSS A HOLD SHORT LINE ALL CONTRIBUTED TO THIS RWY INCURSION. AT LEAST NO ONE GOT HURT.

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.