Narrative:

I would like to report an incident concerning airport markings which occurred on a commercial x-country from rutland, vt to rochester, ny, may 1988. After landing on runway 25 at rochester. I informed ground control that I wanted to go to FBO and that I was unfamiliar with the field. They directed me to taxi up in front of the control tower and then via the main ramp and gold taxiway to the large, blue hangar (which I could see from my present position). As I taxied, I became slightly confused as there was a taxiway and a ramp where aircraft were parked. I taxied onto the ramp and saw a passage which connected this ramp with the one I wanted. Although there was no yellow line, I could see that there was enough room for aircraft to taxi, and the fact that there was a ramp on the other side, led me to believe that it was a taxiway. I taxied to the other ramp and would not have given it another thought had not an FAA inspector approached asking to see my certificates. He informed me that I had taxied on a service road that was closed to aircraft. He also said that there were signs on both sides of the road and showed me the signs that were on our side. I informed him that I had never been to this field before and that I had not seen the signs. He told me that was not an excuse and to be more careful in the future. I do not remember his name. Apparently this is a common mistake as someone told me that another aircraft had done the same thing while I was inside ordering fuel. It can be a very confusing experience to fly into an unfamiliar airport, and sometimes the controllers are too busy to provide special help. I did not see any signs prohibiting aircraft from taxiing on this road and I feel that the markings are inadequate. They should mark this more clearly, or install a gate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA MISSED CLRNC TXWY AND TAXIED ON A ROAD CLOSED TO ACFT TRAFFIC.

Narrative: I WOULD LIKE TO RPT AN INCIDENT CONCERNING ARPT MARKINGS WHICH OCCURRED ON A COMMERCIAL X-COUNTRY FROM RUTLAND, VT TO ROCHESTER, NY, MAY 1988. AFTER LNDG ON RWY 25 AT ROCHESTER. I INFORMED GND CTL THAT I WANTED TO GO TO FBO AND THAT I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE FIELD. THEY DIRECTED ME TO TAXI UP IN FRONT OF THE CTL TWR AND THEN VIA THE MAIN RAMP AND GOLD TXWY TO THE LARGE, BLUE HANGAR (WHICH I COULD SEE FROM MY PRESENT POSITION). AS I TAXIED, I BECAME SLIGHTLY CONFUSED AS THERE WAS A TXWY AND A RAMP WHERE ACFT WERE PARKED. I TAXIED ONTO THE RAMP AND SAW A PASSAGE WHICH CONNECTED THIS RAMP WITH THE ONE I WANTED. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO YELLOW LINE, I COULD SEE THAT THERE WAS ENOUGH ROOM FOR ACFT TO TAXI, AND THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A RAMP ON THE OTHER SIDE, LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS A TXWY. I TAXIED TO THE OTHER RAMP AND WOULD NOT HAVE GIVEN IT ANOTHER THOUGHT HAD NOT AN FAA INSPECTOR APPROACHED ASKING TO SEE MY CERTIFICATES. HE INFORMED ME THAT I HAD TAXIED ON A SERVICE ROAD THAT WAS CLOSED TO ACFT. HE ALSO SAID THAT THERE WERE SIGNS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD AND SHOWED ME THE SIGNS THAT WERE ON OUR SIDE. I INFORMED HIM THAT I HAD NEVER BEEN TO THIS FIELD BEFORE AND THAT I HAD NOT SEEN THE SIGNS. HE TOLD ME THAT WAS NOT AN EXCUSE AND TO BE MORE CAREFUL IN THE FUTURE. I DO NOT REMEMBER HIS NAME. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON MISTAKE AS SOMEONE TOLD ME THAT ANOTHER ACFT HAD DONE THE SAME THING WHILE I WAS INSIDE ORDERING FUEL. IT CAN BE A VERY CONFUSING EXPERIENCE TO FLY INTO AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT, AND SOMETIMES THE CTLRS ARE TOO BUSY TO PROVIDE SPECIAL HELP. I DID NOT SEE ANY SIGNS PROHIBITING ACFT FROM TAXIING ON THIS ROAD AND I FEEL THAT THE MARKINGS ARE INADEQUATE. THEY SHOULD MARK THIS MORE CLEARLY, OR INSTALL A GATE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.