An air carrier pilot comments that signage of sea taxiway 'C' at runway 16L could confuse a pilot at...

Attributes
ACN	784136
Time
Date	200804
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	784136
Events
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport
Primary Problem	Airport
Situations
Airport	markings : sea.airport signage : sea.airport

Narrative:

After being cleared into position on runway 16L in sea; I began reading the checklist 'challenge' items for the takeoff check. As I read the item 'runway'; I glanced out the window to verify that the runway sign said runway 16L. However; my eye caught the adjacent sign 'C' for taxiway charlie in the same glance; and I had to do a double take to ensure that we weren't on runway 16C. As I thought about this; it occurred to me that the potential exists for someone to misread the airport signs and mistake runway 16L for runway 16C. By doing so; they might take off on the wrong runway. The signs as they are presently located read: /runway 16L/ /C/. This seems needlessly confusing. Having a taxiway named left; C; or right next to a runway end is needlessly inviting the potential for a disaster. The airport should rename taxiway charlie. Short of that; pilots should be aware of the potential for confusion and carefully read airport signs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PILOT COMMENTS THAT SIGNAGE OF SEA TXWY 'C' AT RWY 16L COULD CONFUSE A PILOT AT FIRST GLANCE INTO THINKING RWY 16L WAS RWY 16C.

Narrative: AFTER BEING CLEARED INTO POSITION ON RWY 16L IN SEA; I BEGAN READING THE CHECKLIST 'CHALLENGE' ITEMS FOR THE TAKEOFF CHECK. AS I READ THE ITEM 'RWY'; I GLANCED OUT THE WINDOW TO VERIFY THAT THE RWY SIGN SAID RWY 16L. HOWEVER; MY EYE CAUGHT THE ADJACENT SIGN 'C' FOR TAXIWAY CHARLIE IN THE SAME GLANCE; AND I HAD TO DO A DOUBLE TAKE TO ENSURE THAT WE WEREN'T ON RWY 16C. AS I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS; IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR SOMEONE TO MISREAD THE AIRPORT SIGNS AND MISTAKE RWY 16L FOR RWY 16C. BY DOING SO; THEY MIGHT TAKE OFF ON THE WRONG RWY. THE SIGNS AS THEY ARE PRESENTLY LOCATED READ: /RWY 16L/ /C/. THIS SEEMS NEEDLESSLY CONFUSING. HAVING A TAXIWAY NAMED L; C; OR R NEXT TO A RWY END IS NEEDLESSLY INVITING THE POTENTIAL FOR A DISASTER. THE AIRPORT SHOULD RENAME TAXIWAY CHARLIE. SHORT OF THAT; PILOTS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR CONFUSION AND CAREFULLY READ AIRPORT SIGNS.

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.

An air carrier pilot comments that signage of sea taxiway 'C' at runway 16L could confuse a pilot at first glance into thinking runway 16L was runway 16C.