Narrative:

Landed at clt on runway 18R at about XA20 local. Conditions were night VMC. Exited runway at taxiway E7. Contacted ground control and was instructed to taxi sbound on taxiway east and hold short of runway 23. This is my home airport and I had the airport taxiway diagram. As I was consulting it for proper orientation; ground said 'if you hurry; I can get across the runway.' so I decided to look up from the taxi diagram and find taxiway east visually. It was the first right turn forward of my position. However the visual picture was very confusing and I began to pass taxiway east and unknowingly was heading into the air carrier ramp area. I didn't get further than 50 ft past the centerline of taxiway east when ground control instructed me to stop and informed me of my mistake. I was still able to make the sbound turn on taxiway east and did so; complying with ground control's instructions. There was a possible conflict as I did see an air carrier taxiing into the ramp on taxiway F; which I would have crossed had I continued into the ramp. I had that airplane in sight at all times. Taxiing at night at a major airport at a peak traffic period is a tremendous challenge for a GA aircraft. I have a lot of experience; this is my home field and I was using the taxi diagram -- still it is a challenge. Here are some of the reasons: 1) all the markings and lights seem to be made so the large air carrier's can see them. If you are sitting lower as in a GA aircraft; they are not nearly as easy to interpret. 2) taxiway markings are inconsistent; some have green centerline lights; some don't. Some have only a yellow centerline; some have a yellow line with black stripes on the sides. Many times the lines are worn or covered with tire marks.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CESSNA 421C PLT HAS A TXWY INCURSION AT CLT.

Narrative: LANDED AT CLT ON RWY 18R AT ABOUT XA20 LCL. CONDITIONS WERE NIGHT VMC. EXITED RWY AT TXWY E7. CONTACTED GND CTL AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO TAXI SBOUND ON TXWY E AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 23. THIS IS MY HOME ARPT AND I HAD THE ARPT TXWY DIAGRAM. AS I WAS CONSULTING IT FOR PROPER ORIENTATION; GND SAID 'IF YOU HURRY; I CAN GET ACROSS THE RWY.' SO I DECIDED TO LOOK UP FROM THE TAXI DIAGRAM AND FIND TXWY E VISUALLY. IT WAS THE FIRST R TURN FORWARD OF MY POS. HOWEVER THE VISUAL PICTURE WAS VERY CONFUSING AND I BEGAN TO PASS TXWY E AND UNKNOWINGLY WAS HEADING INTO THE ACR RAMP AREA. I DIDN'T GET FURTHER THAN 50 FT PAST THE CTRLINE OF TXWY E WHEN GND CTL INSTRUCTED ME TO STOP AND INFORMED ME OF MY MISTAKE. I WAS STILL ABLE TO MAKE THE SBOUND TURN ON TXWY E AND DID SO; COMPLYING WITH GND CTL'S INSTRUCTIONS. THERE WAS A POSSIBLE CONFLICT AS I DID SEE AN ACR TAXIING INTO THE RAMP ON TXWY F; WHICH I WOULD HAVE CROSSED HAD I CONTINUED INTO THE RAMP. I HAD THAT AIRPLANE IN SIGHT AT ALL TIMES. TAXIING AT NIGHT AT A MAJOR ARPT AT A PEAK TFC PERIOD IS A TREMENDOUS CHALLENGE FOR A GA ACFT. I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE; THIS IS MY HOME FIELD AND I WAS USING THE TAXI DIAGRAM -- STILL IT IS A CHALLENGE. HERE ARE SOME OF THE REASONS: 1) ALL THE MARKINGS AND LIGHTS SEEM TO BE MADE SO THE LARGE ACR'S CAN SEE THEM. IF YOU ARE SITTING LOWER AS IN A GA ACFT; THEY ARE NOT NEARLY AS EASY TO INTERPRET. 2) TXWY MARKINGS ARE INCONSISTENT; SOME HAVE GREEN CTRLINE LIGHTS; SOME DON'T. SOME HAVE ONLY A YELLOW CTRLINE; SOME HAVE A YELLOW LINE WITH BLACK STRIPES ON THE SIDES. MANY TIMES THE LINES ARE WORN OR COVERED WITH TIRE MARKS.

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.