Narrative:

Taxiing out; we were instructed to taxi via taxiway H to cross runway 14. On taxiway H2; I stopped the airplane because I didn't think we were going in the right direction. At the same time; the controller instructed us we were already on taxiway H and should be taxiing south on taxiway H. I thought this was right; but the taxiway sign I was looking at clearly told me taxiway H was the next taxiway ahead. My first officer and I both agreed the sign was wrong and hypothesized that the sign was placed backwards. We informed ground control of the problem. There were no conflicts; and we had not gone but a few ft down taxiway H2; so we were able to make the turn down taxiway H as instructed. Our wrong turn we prevented by good situational awareness on the part of ATC and both crew members (if I do say so myself). Although I understand that anyone can make a mistake; and this particular sign was not terribly critical; I find it distressing that there was a taxiway sign so blatantly wrong. On another day at another airport; a mistake like this could have serious ramifications. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that after airport personnel and FAA inspectors looked at the sign it was changed very shortly thereafter to a black H2. The reporter did not remember an H in the taxiway after crossing the dashed yellow lines transitioning from the ramp to H. He stated that would be useful; but just the H2 sign change will clear things up.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PILOT NOTES THAT AFTER TAXIING FROM GATES; THE SIGN ON TXWY H2 INDICATES TXWY H IS BEING ENTERED WHEN THE ACFT IS ON TXWY H ENTERING H2.

Narrative: TAXIING OUT; WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TAXI VIA TXWY H TO CROSS RWY 14. ON TXWY H2; I STOPPED THE AIRPLANE BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK WE WERE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. AT THE SAME TIME; THE CTLR INSTRUCTED US WE WERE ALREADY ON TXWY H AND SHOULD BE TAXIING S ON TXWY H. I THOUGHT THIS WAS RIGHT; BUT THE TXWY SIGN I WAS LOOKING AT CLEARLY TOLD ME TXWY H WAS THE NEXT TXWY AHEAD. MY FO AND I BOTH AGREED THE SIGN WAS WRONG AND HYPOTHESIZED THAT THE SIGN WAS PLACED BACKWARDS. WE INFORMED GND CTL OF THE PROB. THERE WERE NO CONFLICTS; AND WE HAD NOT GONE BUT A FEW FT DOWN TXWY H2; SO WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THE TURN DOWN TXWY H AS INSTRUCTED. OUR WRONG TURN WE PREVENTED BY GOOD SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ON THE PART OF ATC AND BOTH CREW MEMBERS (IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF). ALTHOUGH I UNDERSTAND THAT ANYONE CAN MAKE A MISTAKE; AND THIS PARTICULAR SIGN WAS NOT TERRIBLY CRITICAL; I FIND IT DISTRESSING THAT THERE WAS A TXWY SIGN SO BLATANTLY WRONG. ON ANOTHER DAY AT ANOTHER ARPT; A MISTAKE LIKE THIS COULD HAVE SERIOUS RAMIFICATIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER STATED THAT AFTER ARPT PERSONNEL AND FAA INSPECTORS LOOKED AT THE SIGN IT WAS CHANGED VERY SHORTLY THEREAFTER TO A BLACK H2. THE REPORTER DID NOT REMEMBER AN H IN THE TAXIWAY AFTER CROSSING THE DASHED YELLOW LINES TRANSITIONING FROM THE RAMP TO H. HE STATED THAT WOULD BE USEFUL; BUT JUST THE H2 SIGN CHANGE WILL CLEAR THINGS UP.

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.