Narrative:

I was flying solo from sna to vgt. I flew into vgt only 1 other time about 2 months ago with another pilot who is very familiar with vgt and I would consider myself to be relatively unfamiliar with the area. I had current charts with me and reviewed them before the flight. I was visually approaching vgt from the southwest with instructions not to descend below 3500 ft MSL. When I was handed off to vgt tower, I was given instructions to make right traffic for runway 12R. I could not see a clear runway marking for runway 12R and got momentarily disoriented. I made a quick 270 degree turn to bring myself into a right downwind and in doing so, was able to see the marking at the opposite end for runway 30L. This enabled me to be certain that I was setting up for the correct runway. However, I failed to ask permission before doing so and the controller promptly reminded me of that. I entered the right pattern and landed normally. Later the same day, I returned home with my friend as the PF. We took off from runway 12R. I was able to get a good look at the runway numbers from a similar perspective as we turned to our 220 degree departure heading. The '1' and the 'right' are almost completely obscured by black tire skid marks. I feel that this condition poses a serious safety hazard for an unfamiliar pilot to be able to quickly and correctly identify the runway. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter questioned airport and FAA officials about runway surface conditions and was told that a resurfacing project was being costed out and bid.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DA40 PLT BECOMES DISORIENTED ENTERING VGT RWY 12R FROM THE SW. MANEUVERING WITHOUT ATC CLRNC IN THE PATTERN AND LNDG. PLT NOT ABLE TO RECOGNIZE RWY NUMBERING.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING SOLO FROM SNA TO VGT. I FLEW INTO VGT ONLY 1 OTHER TIME ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO WITH ANOTHER PLT WHO IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH VGT AND I WOULD CONSIDER MYSELF TO BE RELATIVELY UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. I HAD CURRENT CHARTS WITH ME AND REVIEWED THEM BEFORE THE FLT. I WAS VISUALLY APCHING VGT FROM THE SW WITH INSTRUCTIONS NOT TO DSND BELOW 3500 FT MSL. WHEN I WAS HANDED OFF TO VGT TWR, I WAS GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE R TFC FOR RWY 12R. I COULD NOT SEE A CLR RWY MARKING FOR RWY 12R AND GOT MOMENTARILY DISORIENTED. I MADE A QUICK 270 DEG TURN TO BRING MYSELF INTO A R DOWNWIND AND IN DOING SO, WAS ABLE TO SEE THE MARKING AT THE OPPOSITE END FOR RWY 30L. THIS ENABLED ME TO BE CERTAIN THAT I WAS SETTING UP FOR THE CORRECT RWY. HOWEVER, I FAILED TO ASK PERMISSION BEFORE DOING SO AND THE CTLR PROMPTLY REMINDED ME OF THAT. I ENTERED THE R PATTERN AND LANDED NORMALLY. LATER THE SAME DAY, I RETURNED HOME WITH MY FRIEND AS THE PF. WE TOOK OFF FROM RWY 12R. I WAS ABLE TO GET A GOOD LOOK AT THE RWY NUMBERS FROM A SIMILAR PERSPECTIVE AS WE TURNED TO OUR 220 DEG DEP HDG. THE '1' AND THE 'R' ARE ALMOST COMPLETELY OBSCURED BY BLACK TIRE SKID MARKS. I FEEL THAT THIS CONDITION POSES A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD FOR AN UNFAMILIAR PLT TO BE ABLE TO QUICKLY AND CORRECTLY IDENT THE RWY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR QUESTIONED ARPT AND FAA OFFICIALS ABOUT RWY SURFACE CONDITIONS AND WAS TOLD THAT A RESURFACING PROJECT WAS BEING COSTED OUT AND BID.

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.