Narrative:

I was holding short of runway 12 on taxiway a when ATC directed me to 'cross runway 12.' taxiway a continues for a short distance on the far side of the runway. The area was poorly lit; it was getting dark; there was some ground fog and the signage was unclear to me that the taxiway continued on the other side of the runway. I've been to that airport on 3 other occasions. One time I was in the tower and I was aware of the taxiway crossing the runway at those times but just got confused during the incident. When I taxied onto the runway I looked and saw the end of the runway which was lit up but couldn't see the taxiway so I thought I was to back taxi to the runway end which is what I normally do at my home airport. When the controller saw I was on the runway he told the approaching commuter flight to go around and told me to clear the runway. Contributing factors to this incident were my inexperience; confusion; and the fact that I did not ask the controller for clarification prior to back taxiing. The poorly lit taxiway; the fact that it was getting dark; and the signage were also contributing factors. I believe that the most significant action to improve safety at this area of hts would be to extend taxiway a along the same side without crossing the runway. Several people have told me that it was a frequent mistake.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter's explanation for turning right onto the runway when cleared to cross was that he was not sure that the taxiway continued on the other side and that his habit pattern was to back taxi at his home field.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 STUDENT PILOT REPORTS POOR LIGHTING ON TXWY GOLF AS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN HIS RWY INCURSION AT HTS THAT CAUSES COMMUTER ACFT TO GO AROUND.

Narrative: I WAS HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 12 ON TAXIWAY A WHEN ATC DIRECTED ME TO 'CROSS RUNWAY 12.' TAXIWAY A CONTINUES FOR A SHORT DISTANCE ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AREA WAS POORLY LIT; IT WAS GETTING DARK; THERE WAS SOME GROUND FOG AND THE SIGNAGE WAS UNCLEAR TO ME THAT THE TAXIWAY CONTINUED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. I'VE BEEN TO THAT AIRPORT ON 3 OTHER OCCASIONS. ONE TIME I WAS IN THE TOWER AND I WAS AWARE OF THE TAXIWAY CROSSING THE RUNWAY AT THOSE TIMES BUT JUST GOT CONFUSED DURING THE INCIDENT. WHEN I TAXIED ONTO THE RUNWAY I LOOKED AND SAW THE END OF THE RUNWAY WHICH WAS LIT UP BUT COULDN'T SEE THE TAXIWAY SO I THOUGHT I WAS TO BACK TAXI TO THE RUNWAY END WHICH IS WHAT I NORMALLY DO AT MY HOME AIRPORT. WHEN THE CONTROLLER SAW I WAS ON THE RUNWAY HE TOLD THE APPROACHING COMMUTER FLIGHT TO GO AROUND AND TOLD ME TO CLEAR THE RUNWAY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS INCIDENT WERE MY INEXPERIENCE; CONFUSION; AND THE FACT THAT I DID NOT ASK THE CONTROLLER FOR CLARIFICATION PRIOR TO BACK TAXIING. THE POORLY LIT TAXIWAY; THE FACT THAT IT WAS GETTING DARK; AND THE SIGNAGE WERE ALSO CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. I BELIEVE THAT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ACTION TO IMPROVE SAFETY AT THIS AREA OF HTS WOULD BE TO EXTEND TAXIWAY A ALONG THE SAME SIDE WITHOUT CROSSING THE RUNWAY. SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A FREQUENT MISTAKE.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER'S EXPLANATION FOR TURNING RIGHT ONTO THE RWY WHEN CLEARED TO CROSS WAS THAT HE WAS NOT SURE THAT THE TXWY CONTINUED ON THE OTHER SIDE AND THAT HIS HABIT PATTERN WAS TO BACK TAXI AT HIS HOME FIELD.

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.