Narrative:

I was taxiing to runway 23 via 3 txwys; the last being taxiway right. When I got to taxiway right; I went straight on taxiway right to taxiway R3 instead of going left to taxiway right. In the process I crossed an active runway; 13/31; thinking I had permission to do so. There are at least two things that could be done to make this not happen that could be accomplished by the airport authority/authorized. Number one is better signage. My recollection is that the taxiway sign just said 'right' with arrows both directions. It would have been helpful for the sign to show which way to taxiway right; and which to R3. Both; by the way; are on runway 23. It would have been helpful for ground to give me taxiway instructions saying left on taxiway right; rather than giving me the choice of going straight on taxiway right. It would have been easy to tell me not to cross runway 13/31. Ultimately; what I think should be done is to close off taxiway R3 and not have a sign that points to taxiway right going across the runway. This is a confusing intersection of these runways and I think that human error is going to inevitably lead to an incident like this unless there is a redesign of this taxiway crossing of the runway. I think prudent engineering would eliminate the crossing altogether. I should have asked for progressive and studied the taxiway chart better. The problem was discovered by ground control which directly overlooks this intersection when I had already crossed. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter's taxi clearance route was B; D; right; R1 to runway 23. At the time of his taxiing; there was construction on taxiway B requiring that he go out on taxiway B west bound instead of his usual routing east bound on B; right; R1. The reporter stated that he had looked at the airport diagram prior to taxiing but did not have it in front of him while taxiing. At some point he lost situational awareness and when the taxiway sign said 'right' both directions he simply turned the wrong direction.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SMA PILOT ON DSM TXWY D TURNED THE WRONG DIRECTION ON TXWY R INTENDING TO GO TO TXWY R1 BUT INCURRED RWY 13/31 TAXIING TO R3.

Narrative: I WAS TAXIING TO RWY 23 VIA 3 TXWYS; THE LAST BEING TXWY R. WHEN I GOT TO TXWY R; I WENT STRAIGHT ON TXWY R TO TXWY R3 INSTEAD OF GOING L TO TXWY R. IN THE PROCESS I CROSSED AN ACTIVE RWY; 13/31; THINKING I HAD PERMISSION TO DO SO. THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO THINGS THAT COULD BE DONE TO MAKE THIS NOT HAPPEN THAT COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED BY THE ARPT AUTH. NUMBER ONE IS BETTER SIGNAGE. MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT THE TXWY SIGN JUST SAID 'R' WITH ARROWS BOTH DIRECTIONS. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL FOR THE SIGN TO SHOW WHICH WAY TO TXWY R; AND WHICH TO R3. BOTH; BY THE WAY; ARE ON RWY 23. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL FOR GND TO GIVE ME TXWY INSTRUCTIONS SAYING L ON TXWY R; RATHER THAN GIVING ME THE CHOICE OF GOING STRAIGHT ON TXWY R. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY TO TELL ME NOT TO CROSS RWY 13/31. ULTIMATELY; WHAT I THINK SHOULD BE DONE IS TO CLOSE OFF TXWY R3 AND NOT HAVE A SIGN THAT POINTS TO TXWY R GOING ACROSS THE RWY. THIS IS A CONFUSING INTXN OF THESE RWYS AND I THINK THAT HUMAN ERROR IS GOING TO INEVITABLY LEAD TO AN INCIDENT LIKE THIS UNLESS THERE IS A REDESIGN OF THIS TXWY XING OF THE RWY. I THINK PRUDENT ENGINEERING WOULD ELIMINATE THE XING ALTOGETHER. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR PROGRESSIVE AND STUDIED THE TXWY CHART BETTER. THE PROB WAS DISCOVERED BY GND CTL WHICH DIRECTLY OVERLOOKS THIS INTXN WHEN I HAD ALREADY CROSSED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER'S TAXI CLEARANCE ROUTE WAS B; D; R; R1 TO RWY 23. AT THE TIME OF HIS TAXIING; THERE WAS CONSTRUCTION ON TXWY B REQUIRING THAT HE GO OUT ON TXWY B WEST BOUND INSTEAD OF HIS USUAL ROUTING EAST BOUND ON B; R; R1. THE REPORTER STATED THAT HE HAD LOOKED AT THE ARPT DIAGRAM PRIOR TO TAXIING BUT DID NOT HAVE IT IN FRONT OF HIM WHILE TAXIING. AT SOME POINT HE LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND WHEN THE TXWY SIGN SAID 'R' BOTH DIRECTIONS HE SIMPLY TURNED THE WRONG DIRECTION.

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.