Narrative:

Taxiing out of the gate at ewr; received instructions to taxi to runway 4L via taxiway B; taxiway D; taxiway pd txwys. When we turned from taxiway D on to taxiway P; I noticed hold short lines which made no sense because contrary to the airport diagram there is no runway (to cross) on crossing taxiway pd. I immediately stopped the aircraft to sort out the directions. The tower noticed our position and told us to continue to taxiway P and turn left back to taxiway pc which is where the actual runway asphalt begins. When I initially stopped the aircraft; the nose was approximately 4 ft past the hold short line. All landing traffic was on runway 4R and departing traffic was taking off from runway 4L and taxiway pc. There was no conflict other than the confusing taxi directions and the seemingly erroneous commercial taxi charts.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ200 PILOT MISSED HOLDING SHORT OF EWR RWY 4L ON TXWY PD BECAUSE HE DID NOT SEE THE HOLD SHORT LINES SITUATED WELL BEFORE THE RWY.

Narrative: TAXIING OUT OF THE GATE AT EWR; RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS TO TAXI TO RWY 4L VIA TXWY B; TXWY D; TXWY PD TXWYS. WHEN WE TURNED FROM TXWY D ON TO TXWY P; I NOTICED HOLD SHORT LINES WHICH MADE NO SENSE BECAUSE CONTRARY TO THE ARPT DIAGRAM THERE IS NO RWY (TO CROSS) ON XING TXWY PD. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE ACFT TO SORT OUT THE DIRECTIONS. THE TWR NOTICED OUR POS AND TOLD US TO CONTINUE TO TXWY P AND TURN L BACK TO TXWY PC WHICH IS WHERE THE ACTUAL RWY ASPHALT BEGINS. WHEN I INITIALLY STOPPED THE ACFT; THE NOSE WAS APPROX 4 FT PAST THE HOLD SHORT LINE. ALL LNDG TFC WAS ON RWY 4R AND DEPARTING TFC WAS TAKING OFF FROM RWY 4L AND TXWY PC. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT OTHER THAN THE CONFUSING TAXI DIRECTIONS AND THE SEEMINGLY ERRONEOUS COMMERCIAL TAXI CHARTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.