When told to taxi via the north ramp at mdw, reporter almost taxied down runway 13L.

Attributes
ACN	95607
Time
Date	198810
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdw
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	95606
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

I hope you have a manual with you otherwise this may be hard to decipher. We landed mdw runway 31L and rolled to highspeed taxiway almost at end of runway. ATC said to hold short of runway 13. I mistook taxiway north for runway 13L. There were 3 signs that said runway 43L by where we stopped at it looked like displaced threshold markings or taxiway (runway). I know you are thinking my compass should have given away the problem. At a glance it was close enough and I guess I ignored it after a glance. When receiving clearance to cross I went north and started to turn right when I noticed mistake. No problem, but what I am afraid may someday happen is someone may make same mistake in low visibility, not catch it and taxi down runway 13L thinking they are on north. I believe the runway and taxiway markers need to be improved here as I sincerely believe this could be a safety problem. This is not a cya report.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHEN TOLD TO TAXI VIA THE NORTH RAMP AT MDW, REPORTER ALMOST TAXIED DOWN RWY 13L.

Narrative: I HOPE YOU HAVE A MANUAL WITH YOU OTHERWISE THIS MAY BE HARD TO DECIPHER. WE LANDED MDW RWY 31L AND ROLLED TO HIGHSPEED TXWY ALMOST AT END OF RWY. ATC SAID TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 13. I MISTOOK TXWY N FOR RWY 13L. THERE WERE 3 SIGNS THAT SAID RWY 43L BY WHERE WE STOPPED AT IT LOOKED LIKE DISPLACED THRESHOLD MARKINGS OR TXWY (RWY). I KNOW YOU ARE THINKING MY COMPASS SHOULD HAVE GIVEN AWAY THE PROB. AT A GLANCE IT WAS CLOSE ENOUGH AND I GUESS I IGNORED IT AFTER A GLANCE. WHEN RECEIVING CLRNC TO CROSS I WENT N AND STARTED TO TURN RIGHT WHEN I NOTICED MISTAKE. NO PROB, BUT WHAT I AM AFRAID MAY SOMEDAY HAPPEN IS SOMEONE MAY MAKE SAME MISTAKE IN LOW VIS, NOT CATCH IT AND TAXI DOWN RWY 13L THINKING THEY ARE ON N. I BELIEVE THE RWY AND TXWY MARKERS NEED TO BE IMPROVED HERE AS I SINCERELY BELIEVE THIS COULD BE A SAFETY PROB. THIS IS NOT A CYA RPT.

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.