Narrative:

At richmond, runways 20 and 16 come together at the north end, along with several txwys (a, U and right). The entire area where these txwys merge with the runways is concrete. I was at the west end of taxiway right. I received taxi clearance to taxi to runway 20, (taxiway right to taxiway a). As I approached all of these merged txwys, it was difficult to determine where the hold short line(south) were, and where the actual runway ends began. There was a small jet in front of me who had stopped and started several times on the taxiway. Eventually, the jet stopped at runway 20, prior to crossing to runway 16. I thought the jet had paused on the taxiway, so I asked ric ground if I should taxi around the jet. Ground said no, to remain in sequence. That's when I realized that if I would have taxied around the jet, I would have entered runway 20. I was looking at the departure end of runway 16 in the distance and did not notice runway 20. The jet was taking off on runway 16, I was taking off on runway 20. I am very cautious at large airports, using my taxi diagrams. I have been to richmond several times, but it has been some time since I was last there. I don't think I ever took off using runways 20 or 16. I could easily have violated runway 20 but perhaps would have caught myself, perhaps not. It would seem to me that there should be some form of bold, easy to see hold short line where the large expanse of concrete is with all the taxiway and runway merges. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: an ric tower specialist revealed that the area in question, due to the runway/taxiway confign, does require certain procedures be used to insure uncompromised safety. It was noted that the hold short line for runway 20 also serves as the hold short line for runway 16, due to the lack of space to hold on taxiway Q, and is located on taxiway a just east of taxiway U. This fact is emphasized in the clrncs issued to aircraft using runway 16 for takeoff, ie, 'cleared to runway 16, taxi and hold short of runway 20.' once runway 20 is clear, the clearance would read, 'cleared into position and hold runway 16, cross runway 20.' it was explained that the, 'cross runway 20,' caveat is a reminder not to taxi into position on runway 20.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT, TAXIING FOR TKOF AT RIC, WAS THWARTED FROM COMMITTING A RWY INCURSION, WHEN ATC INSTRUCTED HIM TO 'REMAIN IN SEQUENCE.'

Narrative: AT RICHMOND, RWYS 20 AND 16 COME TOGETHER AT THE N END, ALONG WITH SEVERAL TXWYS (A, U AND R). THE ENTIRE AREA WHERE THESE TXWYS MERGE WITH THE RWYS IS CONCRETE. I WAS AT THE W END OF TXWY R. I RECEIVED TAXI CLRNC TO TAXI TO RWY 20, (TXWY R TO TXWY A). AS I APCHED ALL OF THESE MERGED TXWYS, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE WHERE THE HOLD SHORT LINE(S) WERE, AND WHERE THE ACTUAL RWY ENDS BEGAN. THERE WAS A SMALL JET IN FRONT OF ME WHO HAD STOPPED AND STARTED SEVERAL TIMES ON THE TXWY. EVENTUALLY, THE JET STOPPED AT RWY 20, PRIOR TO XING TO RWY 16. I THOUGHT THE JET HAD PAUSED ON THE TXWY, SO I ASKED RIC GND IF I SHOULD TAXI AROUND THE JET. GND SAID NO, TO REMAIN IN SEQUENCE. THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED THAT IF I WOULD HAVE TAXIED AROUND THE JET, I WOULD HAVE ENTERED RWY 20. I WAS LOOKING AT THE DEP END OF RWY 16 IN THE DISTANCE AND DID NOT NOTICE RWY 20. THE JET WAS TAKING OFF ON RWY 16, I WAS TAKING OFF ON RWY 20. I AM VERY CAUTIOUS AT LARGE ARPTS, USING MY TAXI DIAGRAMS. I HAVE BEEN TO RICHMOND SEVERAL TIMES, BUT IT HAS BEEN SOME TIME SINCE I WAS LAST THERE. I DON'T THINK I EVER TOOK OFF USING RWYS 20 OR 16. I COULD EASILY HAVE VIOLATED RWY 20 BUT PERHAPS WOULD HAVE CAUGHT MYSELF, PERHAPS NOT. IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME FORM OF BOLD, EASY TO SEE HOLD SHORT LINE WHERE THE LARGE EXPANSE OF CONCRETE IS WITH ALL THE TXWY AND RWY MERGES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: AN RIC TWR SPECIALIST REVEALED THAT THE AREA IN QUESTION, DUE TO THE RWY/TXWY CONFIGN, DOES REQUIRE CERTAIN PROCS BE USED TO INSURE UNCOMPROMISED SAFETY. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 20 ALSO SERVES AS THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 16, DUE TO THE LACK OF SPACE TO HOLD ON TXWY Q, AND IS LOCATED ON TXWY A JUST E OF TXWY U. THIS FACT IS EMPHASIZED IN THE CLRNCS ISSUED TO ACFT USING RWY 16 FOR TAKEOFF, IE, 'CLRED TO RWY 16, TAXI AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 20.' ONCE RWY 20 IS CLR, THE CLRNC WOULD READ, 'CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD RWY 16, CROSS RWY 20.' IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT THE, 'CROSS RWY 20,' CAVEAT IS A REMINDER NOT TO TAXI INTO POS ON RWY 20.

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.