Narrative:

We pushed back from gate at msy, and I looked at the airport chart for taxi routing. We were cleared to taxi to runway 10. I decided to exit the parking ramp at taxiway F and taxied toward the F sign. Unfortunately, I missed the faded yellow line designating taxiway east that I should have turned left on to go toward runway 10. I was soon approaching runway 10 at taxiway F. Ground control called me just as I noticed my mistake and stopped short of the runway. Unfortunately, there was a B737 on short final that tower sent around because they didn't know I was stopping. With clearance from the tower, we taxied a little further toward the runway to turn around and go west on taxiway east. The rest of the flight was without further incident. Supplemental information from acn 591030:on taxi out from msy aircraft came close to encroaching upon runway 10 at 'F' intersection. Crew received clearance to taxi to runway 10 from ground control. Captain performed a right 270 turn to join 'east' taxiway westbound. As I was updating our final weights in the FMGC the captain made a slight right turn on 'F' taxiway. As I came heads up and noticed the turn the captain realized his wrong turn and the ground controller also told us to stop and remain clear of the runway. He subsequently cleared us for a 180 back around to rejoin 'east' taxiway to runway 10. There was a B737 on about a 5 mi final that was sent around by the tower. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: taxiway east is just part of the ramp. There are no paint markings other than the centerline markings to designate taxiway east and they are faded. There is no visible signage designating taxiway east until crossing the extended runway 6 area. The runway 28 hold short markings on taxiway F are positioned as though they mark the north end of taxiway east. Pilot stated that unless you are familiar with the area, a taxiway incursion is likely. This happened in daylight. With operation at night, or in rain, the problem is magnified. Pilot suggests that paint markings delineating the full extent of taxiway east be painted. That way it would stand out, and be separated from the ramp area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 CREW DID NOT TURN ON TXWY E AND APPEARED TO BE TAXING ONTO RWY 10-28. AN ACR B737 WAS GIVEN A GAR AS A RESULT.

Narrative: WE PUSHED BACK FROM GATE AT MSY, AND I LOOKED AT THE ARPT CHART FOR TAXI ROUTING. WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 10. I DECIDED TO EXIT THE PARKING RAMP AT TXWY F AND TAXIED TOWARD THE F SIGN. UNFORTUNATELY, I MISSED THE FADED YELLOW LINE DESIGNATING TXWY E THAT I SHOULD HAVE TURNED L ON TO GO TOWARD RWY 10. I WAS SOON APCHING RWY 10 AT TXWY F. GND CTL CALLED ME JUST AS I NOTICED MY MISTAKE AND STOPPED SHORT OF THE RWY. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WAS A B737 ON SHORT FINAL THAT TWR SENT AROUND BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW I WAS STOPPING. WITH CLRNC FROM THE TWR, WE TAXIED A LITTLE FURTHER TOWARD THE RWY TO TURN AROUND AND GO W ON TXWY E. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 591030:ON TAXI OUT FROM MSY ACFT CAME CLOSE TO ENCROACHING UPON RWY 10 AT 'F' INTXN. CREW RECEIVED CLRNC TO TAXI TO RWY 10 FROM GND CTL. CAPT PERFORMED A R 270 TURN TO JOIN 'E' TXWY WBND. AS I WAS UPDATING OUR FINAL WEIGHTS IN THE FMGC THE CAPT MADE A SLIGHT R TURN ON 'F' TXWY. AS I CAME HEADS UP AND NOTICED THE TURN THE CAPT REALIZED HIS WRONG TURN AND THE GND CTLR ALSO TOLD US TO STOP AND REMAIN CLR OF THE RWY. HE SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED US FOR A 180 BACK AROUND TO REJOIN 'E' TXWY TO RWY 10. THERE WAS A B737 ON ABOUT A 5 MI FINAL THAT WAS SENT AROUND BY THE TWR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: TXWY E IS JUST PART OF THE RAMP. THERE ARE NO PAINT MARKINGS OTHER THAN THE CENTERLINE MARKINGS TO DESIGNATE TXWY E AND THEY ARE FADED. THERE IS NO VISIBLE SIGNAGE DESIGNATING TXWY E UNTIL XING THE EXTENDED RWY 6 AREA. THE RWY 28 HOLD SHORT MARKINGS ON TXWY F ARE POSITIONED AS THOUGH THEY MARK THE N END OF TXWY E. PLT STATED THAT UNLESS YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, A TXWY INCURSION IS LIKELY. THIS HAPPENED IN DAYLIGHT. WITH OPERATION AT NIGHT, OR IN RAIN, THE PROB IS MAGNIFIED. PLT SUGGESTS THAT PAINT MARKINGS DELINEATING THE FULL EXTENT OF TXWY E BE PAINTED. THAT WAY IT WOULD STAND OUT, AND BE SEPARATED FROM THE RAMP AREA.

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.