Narrative:

Cleared to taxi from ramp via taxiway 'D, B, right.' I asked first officer, having looked at the chart, if that was the second left. He concurred. Left ramp via 'pb' looking for second taxiway, and the normal signage indicating appropriate left turn. Glanced back over the nose and saw large white line indicating side of runway. Stopped aircraft realizing we missed taxiway and were about to enter an active runway! The signage in this location is poor. Adding to this problem are no blinking yellow stop bars before entering runway 22R/4L. Also from ramp to runway is one continuous piece of concrete covering two taxiways and area in between, no taxiway centerline lights on 'D' north of 'pb,' poor paint, and no taxiway side lights. A confusing situation at best, especially at xa:00 with a tired crew. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter emphasized that the area about and around txwys pb, PA, pc and delta is solid concrete, identified with line markings. The pilot alleges the areas paint lines are faded. He has been back twice since the initial incident, and stated he still can not find the taxiway delta signage when approaching on taxiway pb. In addition, the reporter suggests that the runway 4L edge markings at taxiway pb would be more easily identified if ewr installed in-ground, yellow flashing lights, as utilized at the memphis airport.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 FLC UNABLE TO FIND SIGNAGE ALERTING THEM OF CORRECT TXWY WHEN TAXIING TO RWY 22R AT EWR, STOPPING AT RWY 4L EDGE MARKING.

Narrative: CLRED TO TAXI FROM RAMP VIA TXWY 'D, B, R.' I ASKED FO, HAVING LOOKED AT THE CHART, IF THAT WAS THE SECOND LEFT. HE CONCURRED. LEFT RAMP VIA 'PB' LOOKING FOR SECOND TXWY, AND THE NORMAL SIGNAGE INDICATING APPROPRIATE L TURN. GLANCED BACK OVER THE NOSE AND SAW LARGE WHITE LINE INDICATING SIDE OF RWY. STOPPED ACFT REALIZING WE MISSED TXWY AND WERE ABOUT TO ENTER AN ACTIVE RWY! THE SIGNAGE IN THIS LOCATION IS POOR. ADDING TO THIS PROBLEM ARE NO BLINKING YELLOW STOP BARS BEFORE ENTERING RWY 22R/4L. ALSO FROM RAMP TO RWY IS ONE CONTINUOUS PIECE OF CONCRETE COVERING TWO TAXIWAYS AND AREA IN BTWN, NO TXWY CENTERLINE LIGHTS ON 'D' N OF 'PB,' POOR PAINT, AND NO TXWY SIDE LIGHTS. A CONFUSING SIT AT BEST, ESPECIALLY AT XA:00 WITH A TIRED CREW. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR EMPHASIZED THAT THE AREA ABOUT AND AROUND TXWYS PB, PA, PC AND DELTA IS SOLID CONCRETE, IDENTIFIED WITH LINE MARKINGS. THE PLT ALLEGES THE AREAS PAINT LINES ARE FADED. HE HAS BEEN BACK TWICE SINCE THE INITIAL INCIDENT, AND STATED HE STILL CAN NOT FIND THE TXWY DELTA SIGNAGE WHEN APCHING ON TXWY PB. IN ADDITION, THE RPTR SUGGESTS THAT THE RWY 4L EDGE MARKINGS AT TXWY PB WOULD BE MORE EASILY IDENTIFIED IF EWR INSTALLED IN-GND, YELLOW FLASHING LIGHTS, AS UTILIZED AT THE MEMPHIS ARPT.

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.