Narrative:

I have been at sna for 9 yrs. I know the airport layout. I was alone. The airport was SVFR. I had requested an IFR to VFR on top. While I was in the mid field runup, I was given taxi instructions to cross runway 19R&left north on taxiway C and hold at taxiway K. I think runway 19L was not being used as everyone was leaving on runway 19R. As I was taxiing across runway 19R and approaching runway 19L, a large bee came from the back of the cockpit and flew in my face. This was no yellow jacket -- this thing was big and made as much noise as the engine. I was totally surprised as it continued to get in my face. I kept swatting as I taxied. I didn't want to stop on the runway and when I saw the sign for taxiway C I was stung. It hurt. I don't know if I had started a turn north, but while I was in combat with the bee, I realized I was north on runway 19L. I had traveled approximately 150 ft. I could see that there was no landing traffic. I taxied to the extreme edge of the runway as I debated making a u-turn, but decided I didn't want to put my back to possible landing traffic. At this point, I could taxi across the short median between the runway and taxiway if traffic became a factor. I continued and exited at taxiway K. During the 10 min wait for traffic, I got the bee out of the airplane. I canceled my flight and taxied back to the ramp. This whole incident took 30-40 seconds. In retrospect, I should have just stopped, shut down and took care of business. I had been cleared to cross, therefore, if a plane was on approach it could have gone around, as I would have been on the edge of the runway or in the median. From now on, I will check for unwanted passenger in the cockpit, as things could have been worse if I was on an IFR flight being attacked by a bee.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT INADVERTENTLY TAXIES ONTO ACTIVE RWY DUE TO DISTR OF A BEE STING.

Narrative: I HAVE BEEN AT SNA FOR 9 YRS. I KNOW THE ARPT LAYOUT. I WAS ALONE. THE ARPT WAS SVFR. I HAD REQUESTED AN IFR TO VFR ON TOP. WHILE I WAS IN THE MID FIELD RUNUP, I WAS GIVEN TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO CROSS RWY 19R&L N ON TXWY C AND HOLD AT TXWY K. I THINK RWY 19L WAS NOT BEING USED AS EVERYONE WAS LEAVING ON RWY 19R. AS I WAS TAXIING ACROSS RWY 19R AND APCHING RWY 19L, A LARGE BEE CAME FROM THE BACK OF THE COCKPIT AND FLEW IN MY FACE. THIS WAS NO YELLOW JACKET -- THIS THING WAS BIG AND MADE AS MUCH NOISE AS THE ENG. I WAS TOTALLY SURPRISED AS IT CONTINUED TO GET IN MY FACE. I KEPT SWATTING AS I TAXIED. I DIDN'T WANT TO STOP ON THE RWY AND WHEN I SAW THE SIGN FOR TXWY C I WAS STUNG. IT HURT. I DON'T KNOW IF I HAD STARTED A TURN N, BUT WHILE I WAS IN COMBAT WITH THE BEE, I REALIZED I WAS N ON RWY 19L. I HAD TRAVELED APPROX 150 FT. I COULD SEE THAT THERE WAS NO LNDG TFC. I TAXIED TO THE EXTREME EDGE OF THE RWY AS I DEBATED MAKING A U-TURN, BUT DECIDED I DIDN'T WANT TO PUT MY BACK TO POSSIBLE LNDG TFC. AT THIS POINT, I COULD TAXI ACROSS THE SHORT MEDIAN BTWN THE RWY AND TXWY IF TFC BECAME A FACTOR. I CONTINUED AND EXITED AT TXWY K. DURING THE 10 MIN WAIT FOR TFC, I GOT THE BEE OUT OF THE AIRPLANE. I CANCELED MY FLT AND TAXIED BACK TO THE RAMP. THIS WHOLE INCIDENT TOOK 30-40 SECONDS. IN RETROSPECT, I SHOULD HAVE JUST STOPPED, SHUT DOWN AND TOOK CARE OF BUSINESS. I HAD BEEN CLRED TO CROSS, THEREFORE, IF A PLANE WAS ON APCH IT COULD HAVE GONE AROUND, AS I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE EDGE OF THE RWY OR IN THE MEDIAN. FROM NOW ON, I WILL CHK FOR UNWANTED PAX IN THE COCKPIT, AS THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE IF I WAS ON AN IFR FLT BEING ATTACKED BY A BEE.

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.