Narrative:

After pushback, we received taxi clearance from ramp to taxi to spot X at taxiway west. Using the 10-9B, we taxied in the direction of spot X. There were numerous ground vehicles and construction on the other side of taxiway G. Due to faded taxiway hold short lines, we unintentionally crossed taxiway G and entered hold pad. At this point, we switched to ground 121.1 to ask for continued taxi instructions. Ground advised us that we were in hold pad and to taxi via taxiway G and taxiway D to runway 19L. At this point, ground asked us why we ended up in hold pad and we explained. This caused no traffic conflict. In hindsight, we should have stopped the aircraft and/or asked for more detailed instructions. Both of us were unfamiliar with this particular taxi route. I believe this event could be prevented in the future by combining the spot locations on the 10-9 page so that multiple charts are not needed. The taxiway G non movement lines need to be repainted, and there needs to be some vertical signs indicating the location of the spots. Additionally, ramp could have provided better taxi instructions such as 'make a right 90 degree turn, taxi straight ahead until reaching the taxiway G at taxiway west, contact ground now on 121.1.' overall the best corrective action would be to repaint lines around taxiway G and better locations for vertical spot signs. The signs in that area are confusing. Personally, I have learned to start asking ramp immediately if unsure, and if not happy with their response, switch to ground immediately to prevent unintentional taxi without clearance. It is important to note that this happened during clear bright daylight. I cannot imagine the confusion had it been dark with reduced visibilities.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF B737 WAS CONFUSED BY TAXI CLRNC AT LAS.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHBACK, WE RECEIVED TAXI CLRNC FROM RAMP TO TAXI TO SPOT X AT TXWY W. USING THE 10-9B, WE TAXIED IN THE DIRECTION OF SPOT X. THERE WERE NUMEROUS GND VEHICLES AND CONSTRUCTION ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TXWY G. DUE TO FADED TXWY HOLD SHORT LINES, WE UNINTENTIONALLY CROSSED TXWY G AND ENTERED HOLD PAD. AT THIS POINT, WE SWITCHED TO GND 121.1 TO ASK FOR CONTINUED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. GND ADVISED US THAT WE WERE IN HOLD PAD AND TO TAXI VIA TXWY G AND TXWY D TO RWY 19L. AT THIS POINT, GND ASKED US WHY WE ENDED UP IN HOLD PAD AND WE EXPLAINED. THIS CAUSED NO TFC CONFLICT. IN HINDSIGHT, WE SHOULD HAVE STOPPED THE ACFT AND/OR ASKED FOR MORE DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS. BOTH OF US WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH THIS PARTICULAR TAXI RTE. I BELIEVE THIS EVENT COULD BE PREVENTED IN THE FUTURE BY COMBINING THE SPOT LOCATIONS ON THE 10-9 PAGE SO THAT MULTIPLE CHARTS ARE NOT NEEDED. THE TXWY G NON MOVEMENT LINES NEED TO BE REPAINTED, AND THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME VERT SIGNS INDICATING THE LOCATION OF THE SPOTS. ADDITIONALLY, RAMP COULD HAVE PROVIDED BETTER TAXI INSTRUCTIONS SUCH AS 'MAKE A R 90 DEG TURN, TAXI STRAIGHT AHEAD UNTIL REACHING THE TXWY G AT TXWY W, CONTACT GND NOW ON 121.1.' OVERALL THE BEST CORRECTIVE ACTION WOULD BE TO REPAINT LINES AROUND TXWY G AND BETTER LOCATIONS FOR VERT SPOT SIGNS. THE SIGNS IN THAT AREA ARE CONFUSING. PERSONALLY, I HAVE LEARNED TO START ASKING RAMP IMMEDIATELY IF UNSURE, AND IF NOT HAPPY WITH THEIR RESPONSE, SWITCH TO GND IMMEDIATELY TO PREVENT UNINTENTIONAL TAXI WITHOUT CLRNC. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS HAPPENED DURING CLR BRIGHT DAYLIGHT. I CANNOT IMAGINE THE CONFUSION HAD IT BEEN DARK WITH REDUCED VISIBILITIES.

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.