Wrong taxiway turn.

Attributes
ACN	92097
Time
Date	198808
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 13000
ASRS Report	92097
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

While in holding area at runway 22R we were cleared to taxi via romeo taxiway to enter to terminal a. We inadvertently veered into kilo taxiway but stopped short of runway 22R. At this intersection there is no runway light bar to indicate the presence of the runway. We did not enter the runway environment, but we could have easily because of the lack of warning lights prior to the runway on taxiway kilo. Problem could have been avoided by better markings on txwys. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated air carrier was recalled to gate by dispatch to add fuel. Had to taxi from holding area via romeo and because of 'left turn' instructions and poor markings on kilo. Fortunately was instantly aware of runway ahead and stopped. Markings poor and no runway light bar. Could have caused a terrible accident. Ground control stopped traffic briefly to allow air carrier to taxi onto runway and off again at golf, then to terminal a. Reporter very concerned about lack of proper markings at this airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WRONG TXWY TURN.

Narrative: WHILE IN HOLDING AREA AT RWY 22R WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI VIA ROMEO TXWY TO ENTER TO TERMINAL A. WE INADVERTENTLY VEERED INTO KILO TXWY BUT STOPPED SHORT OF RWY 22R. AT THIS INTXN THERE IS NO RWY LIGHT BAR TO INDICATE THE PRESENCE OF THE RWY. WE DID NOT ENTER THE RWY ENVIRONMENT, BUT WE COULD HAVE EASILY BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF WARNING LIGHTS PRIOR TO THE RWY ON TXWY KILO. PROB COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY BETTER MARKINGS ON TXWYS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED ACR WAS RECALLED TO GATE BY DISPATCH TO ADD FUEL. HAD TO TAXI FROM HOLDING AREA VIA ROMEO AND BECAUSE OF 'LEFT TURN' INSTRUCTIONS AND POOR MARKINGS ON KILO. FORTUNATELY WAS INSTANTLY AWARE OF RWY AHEAD AND STOPPED. MARKINGS POOR AND NO RWY LIGHT BAR. COULD HAVE CAUSED A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. GND CTL STOPPED TFC BRIEFLY TO ALLOW ACR TO TAXI ONTO RWY AND OFF AGAIN AT GOLF, THEN TO TERMINAL A. RPTR VERY CONCERNED ABOUT LACK OF PROPER MARKINGS AT THIS ARPT.

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.