Narrative:

Taxied out of the general aviation ramp with clearance to 'taxi to runway 35.' taxied south towards end of runway because it appeared that the construction zone was meant to have an alley to runway 35. Ground control called and said 'you are going the wrong way turn around and go back; there is a NOTAM on runway 35.' after turning around I could see a small low wing airplane taxiing south towards me. That plane stopped just to the side of taxiway K2 to allow me to pass. This blocked my vision of the runway sign. I entered taxiway K2; did not see a hold short line and therefore momentarily thought that runway 35 was taxiway kilo and that I need to cross it to reach the runway 35 hold line. Upon entering the runway I could see that it was a runway; per the threshold markings further up the runway; and immediately advised ground control of the incursion and asked for instructions. There was no reply from ground so I continued across to clear as rapidly as possible. I again called ground control for instructions but got no reply. I then called the tower. The tower instructed me to re-cross runway 35 turn around and hold short at taxiway K2. Crossing runway 35 I again looked for a hold line on taxiway K2 but could not see one. Thus; I held on the ramp short of taxiway K2 until cleared for takeoff. Causes: 1) the runway hold line at taxiway K2 is either missing; obscured; or inappropriately located as it was not visible to me (even with specific attention to looking for it a second and third time). 2) smaller plane near taxiway K2 blocked the line of sight to the runway sign. My attention was on maneuvering around other aircraft. More assistance from ground control with specific instructions to both pilots may have helped. 3) taxiway kilo is a parallel taxiway to runway 35. It is physically separated except on the south end near the FBO's; where it is established only via painted markings. Even when there is not construction in the area; the taxiway/ramp relationship in this area is confusing. This contributed to the pilot perception that he need to cross taxiway kilo to reach the runway. 4) I was unfamiliar with the airport (first time there). I could have informed ground control of this fact and asked for progressive assistance to the runway. When ground control first noticed that I was taxiing in the wrong direction; the controller should have realized that I was not familiar with the area and offered assistance rather than being curt; particularly taking into consideration that there was another aircraft that he did not advise me of maneuvering on the same controled taxiway/ramp.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C525 CAPT TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF AT SLC RPTS NO VISIBLE HOLD LINE FOR RWY 35 AT TXWY K2; ALLEGEDLY LEADING TO A RWY INCURSION.

Narrative: TAXIED OUT OF THE GENERAL AVIATION RAMP WITH CLRNC TO 'TAXI TO RWY 35.' TAXIED S TOWARDS END OF RWY BECAUSE IT APPEARED THAT THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE WAS MEANT TO HAVE AN ALLEY TO RWY 35. GND CTL CALLED AND SAID 'YOU ARE GOING THE WRONG WAY TURN AROUND AND GO BACK; THERE IS A NOTAM ON RWY 35.' AFTER TURNING AROUND I COULD SEE A SMALL LOW WING AIRPLANE TAXIING S TOWARDS ME. THAT PLANE STOPPED JUST TO THE SIDE OF TXWY K2 TO ALLOW ME TO PASS. THIS BLOCKED MY VISION OF THE RWY SIGN. I ENTERED TXWY K2; DID NOT SEE A HOLD SHORT LINE AND THEREFORE MOMENTARILY THOUGHT THAT RWY 35 WAS TXWY KILO AND THAT I NEED TO CROSS IT TO REACH THE RWY 35 HOLD LINE. UPON ENTERING THE RWY I COULD SEE THAT IT WAS A RWY; PER THE THRESHOLD MARKINGS FURTHER UP THE RWY; AND IMMEDIATELY ADVISED GND CTL OF THE INCURSION AND ASKED FOR INSTRUCTIONS. THERE WAS NO REPLY FROM GND SO I CONTINUED ACROSS TO CLR AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE. I AGAIN CALLED GND CTL FOR INSTRUCTIONS BUT GOT NO REPLY. I THEN CALLED THE TWR. THE TWR INSTRUCTED ME TO RE-CROSS RWY 35 TURN AROUND AND HOLD SHORT AT TXWY K2. CROSSING RWY 35 I AGAIN LOOKED FOR A HOLD LINE ON TXWY K2 BUT COULD NOT SEE ONE. THUS; I HELD ON THE RAMP SHORT OF TXWY K2 UNTIL CLRED FOR TAKEOFF. CAUSES: 1) THE RWY HOLD LINE AT TXWY K2 IS EITHER MISSING; OBSCURED; OR INAPPROPRIATELY LOCATED AS IT WAS NOT VISIBLE TO ME (EVEN WITH SPECIFIC ATTENTION TO LOOKING FOR IT A SECOND AND THIRD TIME). 2) SMALLER PLANE NEAR TXWY K2 BLOCKED THE LINE OF SIGHT TO THE RWY SIGN. MY ATTENTION WAS ON MANEUVERING AROUND OTHER ACFT. MORE ASSISTANCE FROM GND CTL WITH SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS TO BOTH PLTS MAY HAVE HELPED. 3) TXWY KILO IS A PARALLEL TXWY TO RWY 35. IT IS PHYSICALLY SEPARATED EXCEPT ON THE S END NEAR THE FBO'S; WHERE IT IS ESTABLISHED ONLY VIA PAINTED MARKINGS. EVEN WHEN THERE IS NOT CONSTRUCTION IN THE AREA; THE TXWY/RAMP RELATIONSHIP IN THIS AREA IS CONFUSING. THIS CONTRIBUTED TO THE PLT PERCEPTION THAT HE NEED TO CROSS TXWY KILO TO REACH THE RWY. 4) I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT (FIRST TIME THERE). I COULD HAVE INFORMED GND CTL OF THIS FACT AND ASKED FOR PROGRESSIVE ASSISTANCE TO THE RWY. WHEN GND CTL FIRST NOTICED THAT I WAS TAXIING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION; THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND OFFERED ASSISTANCE RATHER THAN BEING CURT; PARTICULARLY TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT THAT HE DID NOT ADVISE ME OF MANEUVERING ON THE SAME CTLED TXWY/RAMP.

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.