Narrative:

The seattle to denver flight pushed back on time from the gate. After receiving the salute and release from guidance, the first officer contacted the ground controller for taxi instructions. The ground controller cleared us to taxi to runway 16L. I requested the before takeoff checklist, the first officer replied that he did not have the final load planning data, but he would read the checklist up to the first line. During this time, moderate rainfall had started, the aircraft windshield was covered with large droplets of water restricting visibility. The first officer was speaking to the load planner on VHF #2. I attempted to cycle the windshield wiper twice during this time. I proceeded wbound on taxiway left expecting to see taxiway a at my 2-3 O'clock position. I did notice that taxiway B was closed and barricaded. I continued wbound on taxiway left and realized that I was heading for the runway. As I saw the runway markings, I immediately stopped the airplane well short of runway 16L. The sudden stopping made the first officer look up. I asked the first officer, which taxiway are we taking. I then realized that I had crossed the runway hold short line. Seconds later, the ground controller asked about our intentions. We asked to turn 180 degrees on taxiway left to rejoin taxiway a. The ground controller approved our request and we rejoined taxiway a. Contributing factors: 1) low visibility due to sudden and moderate rainfall. 2) confusion about which taxiway to take to the runway. (The controller did not specify taxiway a or taxiway B.) 3) closure of taxiway B and construction barricades. 4) hold short bars not visible due to heavy rain. 5) no wig wag lights at taxiway. 6) closure of taxiway B not mentioned in NOTAMS. 7) overconfidence to familiarity of airport. 8) no special instructions from ground controller to taxi. 9) first officer heads down during taxi.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TXWY AND RWY INCURSION BY A B737-300 DURING A RAIN SHOWER AT SEA.

Narrative: THE SEATTLE TO DENVER FLT PUSHED BACK ON TIME FROM THE GATE. AFTER RECEIVING THE SALUTE AND RELEASE FROM GUIDANCE, THE FO CONTACTED THE GND CTLR FOR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. THE GND CTLR CLRED US TO TAXI TO RWY 16L. I REQUESTED THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST, THE FO REPLIED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE THE FINAL LOAD PLANNING DATA, BUT HE WOULD READ THE CHKLIST UP TO THE FIRST LINE. DURING THIS TIME, MODERATE RAINFALL HAD STARTED, THE ACFT WINDSHIELD WAS COVERED WITH LARGE DROPLETS OF WATER RESTRICTING VISIBILITY. THE FO WAS SPEAKING TO THE LOAD PLANNER ON VHF #2. I ATTEMPTED TO CYCLE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TWICE DURING THIS TIME. I PROCEEDED WBOUND ON TXWY L EXPECTING TO SEE TXWY A AT MY 2-3 O'CLOCK POS. I DID NOTICE THAT TXWY B WAS CLOSED AND BARRICADED. I CONTINUED WBOUND ON TXWY L AND REALIZED THAT I WAS HEADING FOR THE RWY. AS I SAW THE RWY MARKINGS, I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE AIRPLANE WELL SHORT OF RWY 16L. THE SUDDEN STOPPING MADE THE FO LOOK UP. I ASKED THE FO, WHICH TXWY ARE WE TAKING. I THEN REALIZED THAT I HAD CROSSED THE RWY HOLD SHORT LINE. SECONDS LATER, THE GND CTLR ASKED ABOUT OUR INTENTIONS. WE ASKED TO TURN 180 DEGS ON TXWY L TO REJOIN TXWY A. THE GND CTLR APPROVED OUR REQUEST AND WE REJOINED TXWY A. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) LOW VISIBILITY DUE TO SUDDEN AND MODERATE RAINFALL. 2) CONFUSION ABOUT WHICH TXWY TO TAKE TO THE RWY. (THE CTLR DID NOT SPECIFY TXWY A OR TXWY B.) 3) CLOSURE OF TXWY B AND CONSTRUCTION BARRICADES. 4) HOLD SHORT BARS NOT VISIBLE DUE TO HVY RAIN. 5) NO WIG WAG LIGHTS AT TXWY. 6) CLOSURE OF TXWY B NOT MENTIONED IN NOTAMS. 7) OVERCONFIDENCE TO FAMILIARITY OF ARPT. 8) NO SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FROM GND CTLR TO TAXI. 9) FO HEADS DOWN DURING TAXI.

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.