Narrative:

Parked at FBO, I received a clearance and contacted ground for taxi. I was cleared to taxi to runway 17 for an intersection B departure via taxiway C. Not being familiar with the airport, I consulted the airport diagram and proceeded along taxiway C to intersection B expecting a taxiway on my side (east) of runway 17. I had read the diagram wrong (the taxiway was on the west side of runway 17). By the time I realized that, what I had expected to be a taxiway, was in fact the runway. I had gone beyond the hold short line. I did not go onto the runway. I stopped immediately and contacted ground. In attempting to contact ground, I realized I had mistakenly switched the radio to approach. I switched to ground frequency and was instructed to return to the FBO and contact the tower for a possible pilot deviation. Contributing factors: 1) pilot error in placing the airport diagram upside down. 2) pilot error in switching from ground to approach. A contributing factor was using new equipment in a new airplane. Hard to break old habits. Lack of varied experience in different aircraft. 3) because of the terrain, it was not possible to distinguish the runway from the taxiway while taxiing. 4) longer than normal wait for clearance (5-10 mins) in 130 degree cockpit resulting in wanting to get off the ground as soon as possible. Corrective actions: there is no substitute for the pilot to 'get it right' regardless of the situation or conditions. I have well over 1000 ground operations at controled fields without a mistake. That should make me more vigilant, not less. Controllers and pilots can and do help each other and each is responsible for their own actions, but the pilot is ultimately responsible for a safe flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT, UNFAMILIAR WITH PNS ARPT, INADVERTENTLY CROSSES RWY HOLD SHORT LINE AND ADVISES TWR.

Narrative: PARKED AT FBO, I RECEIVED A CLRNC AND CONTACTED GND FOR TAXI. I WAS CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 17 FOR AN INTXN B DEP VIA TXWY C. NOT BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT, I CONSULTED THE ARPT DIAGRAM AND PROCEEDED ALONG TXWY C TO INTXN B EXPECTING A TXWY ON MY SIDE (E) OF RWY 17. I HAD READ THE DIAGRAM WRONG (THE TXWY WAS ON THE W SIDE OF RWY 17). BY THE TIME I REALIZED THAT, WHAT I HAD EXPECTED TO BE A TXWY, WAS IN FACT THE RWY. I HAD GONE BEYOND THE HOLD SHORT LINE. I DID NOT GO ONTO THE RWY. I STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AND CONTACTED GND. IN ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT GND, I REALIZED I HAD MISTAKENLY SWITCHED THE RADIO TO APCH. I SWITCHED TO GND FREQ AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO RETURN TO THE FBO AND CONTACT THE TWR FOR A POSSIBLE PLTDEV. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) PLT ERROR IN PLACING THE ARPT DIAGRAM UPSIDE DOWN. 2) PLT ERROR IN SWITCHING FROM GND TO APCH. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS USING NEW EQUIP IN A NEW AIRPLANE. HARD TO BREAK OLD HABITS. LACK OF VARIED EXPERIENCE IN DIFFERENT ACFT. 3) BECAUSE OF THE TERRAIN, IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO DISTINGUISH THE RWY FROM THE TXWY WHILE TAXIING. 4) LONGER THAN NORMAL WAIT FOR CLRNC (5-10 MINS) IN 130 DEG COCKPIT RESULTING IN WANTING TO GET OFF THE GND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR THE PLT TO 'GET IT RIGHT' REGARDLESS OF THE SIT OR CONDITIONS. I HAVE WELL OVER 1000 GND OPS AT CTLED FIELDS WITHOUT A MISTAKE. THAT SHOULD MAKE ME MORE VIGILANT, NOT LESS. CTLRS AND PLTS CAN AND DO HELP EACH OTHER AND EACH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN ACTIONS, BUT THE PLT IS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR A SAFE FLT.

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.