An MD80 crew, after landing at las, turned onto the parallel runway instead of exiting as cleared.

Attributes
ACN	539567
Time
Date	200203
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mco.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 105 flight time total : 13500 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	539567
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Cleared runway 25L at las at high speed A5. Was some start and stop clrncs but was finally cleared across runway 25R with a left turn onto taxiway B. What I did was cross the wide taxiway a at A5, and mistook the green high speed on runway 25R as the taxiway B lights and turned onto runway 25R, followed with an exit at A6 then onto taxiway G. Was one of those late nights when the first green lights I saw seemed to be what I was looking for. Factors: late, dark, some confusion regarding clearing instructions plus lighting similarity and situational awareness. Future: slow and challenge instructions not fully understood plus ya gotta really watch for the proper 'green' lights!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CREW, AFTER LNDG AT LAS, TURNED ONTO THE PARALLEL RWY INSTEAD OF EXITING AS CLRED.

Narrative: CLRED RWY 25L AT LAS AT HIGH SPD A5. WAS SOME START AND STOP CLRNCS BUT WAS FINALLY CLRED ACROSS RWY 25R WITH A L TURN ONTO TXWY B. WHAT I DID WAS CROSS THE WIDE TXWY A AT A5, AND MISTOOK THE GREEN HIGH SPD ON RWY 25R AS THE TXWY B LIGHTS AND TURNED ONTO RWY 25R, FOLLOWED WITH AN EXIT AT A6 THEN ONTO TXWY G. WAS ONE OF THOSE LATE NIGHTS WHEN THE FIRST GREEN LIGHTS I SAW SEEMED TO BE WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR. FACTORS: LATE, DARK, SOME CONFUSION REGARDING CLRING INSTRUCTIONS PLUS LIGHTING SIMILARITY AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. FUTURE: SLOW AND CHALLENGE INSTRUCTIONS NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD PLUS YA GOTTA REALLY WATCH FOR THE PROPER 'GREEN' LIGHTS!

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.