Narrative:

The airport was very busy with 11 aircraft waiting for departure. I was told by ground control after leaving the west side tower run-up to taxi to taxiway K and monitor tower 'they will call you.' I was the first plane holding short at taxiway K on the west side. After about 5 mins the tower controller asked 'aircraft X, is that you in first position?' I responded 'aircraft X holding short at taxiway K.' in the back of my mind I thought I should have said west side however the tower was very busy. After about 15 mins the controller said I know you are there and will try to get you out. About another 5 mins went by and the controller said 'aircraft X cross runway 19L hold short runway 19R. I thought he was clearing me across the right to hold short of the left since I was an east departure. I crossed the hold bars and noticed an aircraft on the runway in position and hold and another on the opposite side blocking the taxiway. I stopped and told the controller I was turning around. The controller said do a 180 degrees and I resumed holding at taxiway K. I was cleared across about 10 mins later and departed on runway 19L. I believe the problem was due to the following factors. 1) the sun was behind the tower cabin attendant and my airframe was 90 degrees to the sun. I have large north numbers however the sun most likely obscured them with the reflection off the airframe. 2) I heard what I was supposed to hear not what was said. 3) orange county is very busy and the FAA should make a stand on utilizing facilities like el toro to relieve the congestion at sna.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PLT HAD A RWY INCURSION AT SNA AFTER HE TAXIED ONTO A RWY AFTER BEING CLRED TO CROSS A RWY TO HOLD SHORT OF A PARALLEL RWY.

Narrative: THE ARPT WAS VERY BUSY WITH 11 ACFT WAITING FOR DEP. I WAS TOLD BY GND CTL AFTER LEAVING THE W SIDE TWR RUN-UP TO TAXI TO TXWY K AND MONITOR TWR 'THEY WILL CALL YOU.' I WAS THE FIRST PLANE HOLDING SHORT AT TXWY K ON THE W SIDE. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINS THE TWR CTLR ASKED 'ACFT X, IS THAT YOU IN FIRST POS?' I RESPONDED 'ACFT X HOLDING SHORT AT TXWY K.' IN THE BACK OF MY MIND I THOUGHT I SHOULD HAVE SAID W SIDE HOWEVER THE TWR WAS VERY BUSY. AFTER ABOUT 15 MINS THE CTLR SAID I KNOW YOU ARE THERE AND WILL TRY TO GET YOU OUT. ABOUT ANOTHER 5 MINS WENT BY AND THE CTLR SAID 'ACFT X CROSS RWY 19L HOLD SHORT RWY 19R. I THOUGHT HE WAS CLRING ME ACROSS THE R TO HOLD SHORT OF THE L SINCE I WAS AN E DEP. I CROSSED THE HOLD BARS AND NOTICED AN ACFT ON THE RWY IN POS AND HOLD AND ANOTHER ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE BLOCKING THE TXWY. I STOPPED AND TOLD THE CTLR I WAS TURNING AROUND. THE CTLR SAID DO A 180 DEGS AND I RESUMED HOLDING AT TXWY K. I WAS CLRED ACROSS ABOUT 10 MINS LATER AND DEPARTED ON RWY 19L. I BELIEVE THE PROB WAS DUE TO THE FOLLOWING FACTORS. 1) THE SUN WAS BEHIND THE TWR CAB AND MY AIRFRAME WAS 90 DEGS TO THE SUN. I HAVE LARGE N NUMBERS HOWEVER THE SUN MOST LIKELY OBSCURED THEM WITH THE REFLECTION OFF THE AIRFRAME. 2) I HEARD WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO HEAR NOT WHAT WAS SAID. 3) ORANGE COUNTY IS VERY BUSY AND THE FAA SHOULD MAKE A STAND ON UTILIZING FACILITIES LIKE EL TORO TO RELIEVE THE CONGESTION AT SNA.

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.