Narrative:

I was on a VFR flight from deland; fl; to shelby county; al. I made a stop in enterprise; al; for passenger pick-up and fuel. Fuel was unavailable; so I continued my flight to montgomery; al; and landed to refuel. After landing; I was told by tower to turn left on taxiway A5. I asked tower for taxi to nearest FBO with available fuel. I was told 'taxi to ramp' there was a ramp directly in front of me; so with no other ramp insight; I understood this to mean to taxi straight onto this ramp. I continued my taxi forward onto this ramp for about 50 ft until a hangar with alabama air national guard was visible. I questioned the controller and his reply was; 'no; I'm sorry; I should have told you to turn right on taxiway C; are you being met by anyone?' I was met by guards and my aircraft was searched. I was released afterwards. There was a lighted sign designating this area as ANG; but my side of the sign on A5 was unlit and impossible to read. Also; the taxiway C sign was so dimly lit that it was unreadable beyond 30 ft. Distance from A5 to taxiway C was approximately 400 ft. There was no sign anywhere designating this area as restr. Even the hangar with air national guard on it was obstructed from view until I ws already on the ramp. I feel that these factors along with the miscom between the tower and I were the leading causes in this mishap.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT AFTER LNDG TAXIES INTO A MIL RESTR AREA AT MGM.

Narrative: I WAS ON A VFR FLT FROM DELAND; FL; TO SHELBY COUNTY; AL. I MADE A STOP IN ENTERPRISE; AL; FOR PAX PICK-UP AND FUEL. FUEL WAS UNAVAILABLE; SO I CONTINUED MY FLT TO MONTGOMERY; AL; AND LANDED TO REFUEL. AFTER LNDG; I WAS TOLD BY TWR TO TURN L ON TXWY A5. I ASKED TWR FOR TAXI TO NEAREST FBO WITH AVAILABLE FUEL. I WAS TOLD 'TAXI TO RAMP' THERE WAS A RAMP DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME; SO WITH NO OTHER RAMP INSIGHT; I UNDERSTOOD THIS TO MEAN TO TAXI STRAIGHT ONTO THIS RAMP. I CONTINUED MY TAXI FORWARD ONTO THIS RAMP FOR ABOUT 50 FT UNTIL A HANGAR WITH ALABAMA AIR NATL GUARD WAS VISIBLE. I QUESTIONED THE CTLR AND HIS REPLY WAS; 'NO; I'M SORRY; I SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOU TO TURN R ON TXWY C; ARE YOU BEING MET BY ANYONE?' I WAS MET BY GUARDS AND MY ACFT WAS SEARCHED. I WAS RELEASED AFTERWARDS. THERE WAS A LIGHTED SIGN DESIGNATING THIS AREA AS ANG; BUT MY SIDE OF THE SIGN ON A5 WAS UNLIT AND IMPOSSIBLE TO READ. ALSO; THE TXWY C SIGN WAS SO DIMLY LIT THAT IT WAS UNREADABLE BEYOND 30 FT. DISTANCE FROM A5 TO TXWY C WAS APPROX 400 FT. THERE WAS NO SIGN ANYWHERE DESIGNATING THIS AREA AS RESTR. EVEN THE HANGAR WITH AIR NATL GUARD ON IT WAS OBSTRUCTED FROM VIEW UNTIL I WS ALREADY ON THE RAMP. I FEEL THAT THESE FACTORS ALONG WITH THE MISCOM BTWN THE TWR AND I WERE THE LEADING CAUSES IN THIS MISHAP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.