A PA46 pilot inadvertently taxied onto the wrong runway due to confusion about the runway signage.

Attributes
ACN	607718
Time
Date	200401
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hut.airport
State Reference	KS
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-46 Malibu
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	607718
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Airport
Primary Problem	Airport
Situations
Airport	signage : hut.airport

Narrative:

I was cleared to cross runway 4 and cleared for takeoff on runway 35. At the runway intersection, as I pulled out on runway 4, I saw a sign for runway 35. As I lined up to take off, I realized I was on runway 4, by looking at my HSI, at the same time the tower controller came on and said, 'stop takeoff roll, you are on runway 4, which is closed.' I told him I had just realized that and he gave me permission to taxi onto runway 35, position and hold. I had not started my takeoff roll, but from the tower, it might have looked that way. The airport diagram is clear, but the way it is signed, it's easy to think you're on runway 35 when you first pull out onto runway 4 to cross. There was no conflict and I was cleared to cross. I didn't start takeoff roll, but it was confusing. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that there is no runway sign for runway 4. The location of the runway sign for runway 35 at the intersection of runway 4/35 seems like it was for the runway that he turned on. The reporter feels that this is an easy mistake to have since the only runway sign that one can see is for runway 35. The reporter also stated that there was snow and ice in the area that could have possibly blocked the runway sign for runway 4.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA46 PLT INADVERTENTLY TAXIED ONTO THE WRONG RWY DUE TO CONFUSION ABOUT THE RWY SIGNAGE.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED TO CROSS RWY 4 AND CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 35. AT THE RWY INTXN, AS I PULLED OUT ON RWY 4, I SAW A SIGN FOR RWY 35. AS I LINED UP TO TAKE OFF, I REALIZED I WAS ON RWY 4, BY LOOKING AT MY HSI, AT THE SAME TIME THE TWR CTLR CAME ON AND SAID, 'STOP TKOF ROLL, YOU ARE ON RWY 4, WHICH IS CLOSED.' I TOLD HIM I HAD JUST REALIZED THAT AND HE GAVE ME PERMISSION TO TAXI ONTO RWY 35, POS AND HOLD. I HAD NOT STARTED MY TKOF ROLL, BUT FROM THE TWR, IT MIGHT HAVE LOOKED THAT WAY. THE ARPT DIAGRAM IS CLR, BUT THE WAY IT IS SIGNED, IT'S EASY TO THINK YOU'RE ON RWY 35 WHEN YOU FIRST PULL OUT ONTO RWY 4 TO CROSS. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AND I WAS CLRED TO CROSS. I DIDN'T START TKOF ROLL, BUT IT WAS CONFUSING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT THERE IS NO RWY SIGN FOR RWY 4. THE LOCATION OF THE RWY SIGN FOR RWY 35 AT THE INTXN OF RWY 4/35 SEEMS LIKE IT WAS FOR THE RWY THAT HE TURNED ON. THE RPTR FEELS THAT THIS IS AN EASY MISTAKE TO HAVE SINCE THE ONLY RWY SIGN THAT ONE CAN SEE IS FOR RWY 35. THE RPTR ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS SNOW AND ICE IN THE AREA THAT COULD HAVE POSSIBLY BLOCKED THE RWY SIGN FOR RWY 4.

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.