A pilot exiting the ack ramp on taxiway C turned left on taxiway F versus the cleared taxiway east; ...

Narrative:

Taxing in 'light' fog in daylight. Was exiting from the ramp onto taxiways to proceed to runway. Was cleared to taxi to runway 24 via charlie to left on echo. Echo and foxtrot run parallel to each other. Accidentally started to turn left onto foxtrot. Stopped in the intersection having pivoted the plane 90 degrees left; but still more or less in the intersection. Queried the tower about my early turn and was instructed to just proceed down foxtrot to make a right on bravo and left on charlie. The reason I turned early was as I was looking at the intersection; I misunderstood the painted markings painted on the taxiway with arrows pointing left and right and 'the word echo.' they are painted on the far side of the intersection of charlie and foxtrot; still in the area where the two taxiways meet rather than further down taxiway charlie past where the taxiway narrows again after the intersection. I had a brief moment where I thought that those signs were referring to foxtrot (mistaking it for echo). As I made the turn I realized something didn't seem right and stopped the plane. Perhaps painting the directional signs on the taxiway further from the intersection with foxtrot and/or painting similar signage for foxtrot on charlie in the ramp would make it more obvious which taxiway the painted directions are referring to.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A pilot exiting the ACK ramp on Taxiway C turned left on Taxiway F versus the cleared Taxiway E; the bidirectional taxiway information painted on Taxiway C was closely located to Taxiway F and misleading.

Narrative: Taxing in 'light' fog in daylight. Was exiting from the ramp onto taxiways to proceed to runway. Was cleared to taxi to Runway 24 via Charlie to left on Echo. Echo and Foxtrot run parallel to each other. Accidentally started to turn left onto Foxtrot. Stopped in the intersection having pivoted the plane 90 degrees left; but still more or less in the intersection. Queried the tower about my early turn and was instructed to just proceed down Foxtrot to make a right on Bravo and left on Charlie. The reason I turned early was as I was looking at the intersection; I misunderstood the painted markings painted on the taxiway with arrows pointing left and right and 'the word Echo.' They are painted on the far side of the intersection of Charlie and Foxtrot; still in the area where the two taxiways meet rather than further down Taxiway Charlie past where the taxiway narrows again after the intersection. I had a brief moment where I thought that those signs were referring to Foxtrot (mistaking it for Echo). As I made the turn I realized something didn't seem right and stopped the plane. Perhaps painting the directional signs on the taxiway further from the intersection with Foxtrot and/or painting similar signage for Foxtrot on Charlie in the ramp would make it more obvious which taxiway the painted directions are referring to.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	845368
Time
Date	200907
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ACK.Airport
State Reference	MA
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft Low Wing 1 Eng Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Private
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 13 Flight Crew Total 650 Flight Crew Type 172
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural Clearance Ground Incursion Taxiway

A pilot exiting the ack ramp on taxiway C turned left on taxiway F versus the cleared taxiway east; the bidirectional taxiway information painted on taxiway C was closely located to taxiway F and misleading.