Narrative:

While taxiing for an initial training flight for the multi-engine add-on commercial rating; we had a runway incursion at runway 16R; taxiway alpha. I was the pilot undergoing instruction. We were looking for a suitable place to do a run-up at the end of runway 16R. We usually take off from runway 16R at A4 intersection; however; for multi-engine airplanes; it is the FBO's policy to use the full available runway. As a result; neither I nor the mei pilot-in-command have been to the end of runway 16R recently (I've never been there; the mei has been there perhaps once). The taxiway layout at paine field near the end of runway 16R is different than 'usual' in that the hold short line is not parallel to the runway. Instead; it is perpendicular; and then the taxiway (actually the runway by then) continues; and you have to make a 180 degree turn to get onto the runway. This contributed to the confusion: we did not see the hold line; and we accidentally crossed onto the runway. In retrospect; here was the chain of events: 1) we crossed the ILS critical area hold line for runway 16R. 2) we continued forward; seeing a hold line of some kind ahead of us. 3) I had thought the hold line ahead was the other side of the ILS critical area; therefore; I taxied across it. The mei and I did not realize this was the actual 'hold short' line for runway 16R. Consequently; we committed a runway incursion. Nobody in the tower noticed; we made a quick 180 degree turn; and there were no other aircraft in the vicinity. Obviously; more careful lookout is one way to prevent this. However; on a subsequent training flight; I noticed that the red runway hold sign near the hold-short line was partially covered by grass; and relatively out of the field of vision. Consideration should be given to either 1) elevating the runway hold short sign; and/or 2) making sure the grass does not partially cover it. I'm sure that from a large transport-category aircraft (which are probably the primary users of full-length runway 16R); the sign is visible perfectly fine. However; from a small light twin; close to the ground; the sign is partially covered by grass and not very conspicuous. Further consideration should be given to alert pilots on airport diagrams of the runway incursion potential at runway 16R; taxiway alpha (alpha-alpha intersection). This intersection is different from what many GA pilots are used to; since the hold line is perpendicular to the runway; and one has to continue ahead; and then make a 180 degree turn to align the airplane with the runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE76 PILOT REPORTS MISSING THE PAE RWY 16R HOLD SHORT LINE BEFORE TXWY A-A AND CAUSING A RWY INCURSION. THE RPTR CLAIMS THAT THE HOLD SHORT SIGN IS DIFFICULT TO SEE IN SMALL ACFT.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING FOR AN INITIAL TRAINING FLIGHT FOR THE MULTI-ENGINE ADD-ON COMMERCIAL RATING; WE HAD A RWY INCURSION AT RWY 16R; TAXIWAY ALPHA. I WAS THE PILOT UNDERGOING INSTRUCTION. WE WERE LOOKING FOR A SUITABLE PLACE TO DO A RUN-UP AT THE END OF RWY 16R. WE USUALLY TAKE OFF FROM RWY 16R AT A4 INTERSECTION; HOWEVER; FOR MULTI-ENGINE AIRPLANES; IT IS THE FBO'S POLICY TO USE THE FULL AVAILABLE RWY. AS A RESULT; NEITHER I NOR THE MEI PILOT-IN-COMMAND HAVE BEEN TO THE END OF RWY 16R RECENTLY (I'VE NEVER BEEN THERE; THE MEI HAS BEEN THERE PERHAPS ONCE). THE TAXIWAY LAYOUT AT PAINE FIELD NEAR THE END OF RWY 16R IS DIFFERENT THAN 'USUAL' IN THAT THE HOLD SHORT LINE IS NOT PARALLEL TO THE RWY. INSTEAD; IT IS PERPENDICULAR; AND THEN THE TAXIWAY (ACTUALLY THE RWY BY THEN) CONTINUES; AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE A 180 DEGREE TURN TO GET ONTO THE RWY. THIS CONTRIBUTED TO THE CONFUSION: WE DID NOT SEE THE HOLD LINE; AND WE ACCIDENTALLY CROSSED ONTO THE RWY. IN RETROSPECT; HERE WAS THE CHAIN OF EVENTS: 1) WE CROSSED THE ILS CRITICAL AREA HOLD LINE FOR RWY 16R. 2) WE CONTINUED FORWARD; SEEING A HOLD LINE OF SOME KIND AHEAD OF US. 3) I HAD THOUGHT THE HOLD LINE AHEAD WAS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ILS CRITICAL AREA; THEREFORE; I TAXIED ACROSS IT. THE MEI AND I DID NOT REALIZE THIS WAS THE ACTUAL 'HOLD SHORT' LINE FOR RWY 16R. CONSEQUENTLY; WE COMMITTED A RWY INCURSION. NOBODY IN THE TOWER NOTICED; WE MADE A QUICK 180 DEGREE TURN; AND THERE WERE NO OTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE VICINITY. OBVIOUSLY; MORE CAREFUL LOOKOUT IS ONE WAY TO PREVENT THIS. HOWEVER; ON A SUBSEQUENT TRAINING FLIGHT; I NOTICED THAT THE RED RWY HOLD SIGN NEAR THE HOLD-SHORT LINE WAS PARTIALLY COVERED BY GRASS; AND RELATIVELY OUT OF THE FIELD OF VISION. CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO EITHER 1) ELEVATING THE RWY HOLD SHORT SIGN; AND/OR 2) MAKING SURE THE GRASS DOES NOT PARTIALLY COVER IT. I'M SURE THAT FROM A LARGE TRANSPORT-CATEGORY AIRCRAFT (WHICH ARE PROBABLY THE PRIMARY USERS OF FULL-LENGTH RWY 16R); THE SIGN IS VISIBLE PERFECTLY FINE. HOWEVER; FROM A SMALL LIGHT TWIN; CLOSE TO THE GROUND; THE SIGN IS PARTIALLY COVERED BY GRASS AND NOT VERY CONSPICUOUS. FURTHER CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO ALERT PILOTS ON AIRPORT DIAGRAMS OF THE RWY INCURSION POTENTIAL AT RWY 16R; TAXIWAY ALPHA (ALPHA-ALPHA INTERSECTION). THIS INTERSECTION IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT MANY GA PILOTS ARE USED TO; SINCE THE HOLD LINE IS PERPENDICULAR TO THE RWY; AND ONE HAS TO CONTINUE AHEAD; AND THEN MAKE A 180 DEGREE TURN TO ALIGN THE AIRPLANE WITH THE RWY.

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.