Narrative:

At night in 2 1/2 mi fog at ewr I was issued a taxi clearance of outer microphone romeo to 22R. While taxiing we were instructed to contact tower. As we did I realized I had missed romeo. (I decided that I would hold short on microphone and ask the tower if I could back taxi after another aircraft departed.) I then heard the tower tell the other aircraft to cancel takeoff clearance due to aircraft on runway. I then heard the tower tell me that I was on the runway and that I should make a right turn to taxi back. Not understanding why this was happening because I could see I was not on the runway, and my first officer could see we were on the hold short lights, I decided to follow (his tower) instructions. I pulled forward onto the runway to make the right turn. I was then informed that I was now on the runway and that I should continue and make next right turn off the runway and taxi back for takeoff clearance. I suspect what happened was that after the controller told the other aircraft he was cleared for takeoff, he saw me in a position he did not expect, on microphone instead of romeo. From his position (behind me) I might have looked closer than I actually was. That is when he made the decision to cancel the air carrier's takeoff clearance. I think the main factor was me missing romeo. I think the reason this happened was 1) 11 hours on duty, 2) the first officer out of the picture during taxi (doing the very long passenger briefing), 3) the very poor taxiway lighting at ewr especially at critical turning points such as from microphone taxiway to romeo. In the future I will make sure that the first officer is informed as to where we are supposed to go, and I will not taxi without the airport diagram out and handy.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF COMMUTER ACR MISSES TXWY TURN AND ULTIMATELY CAUSES RWY INCURSION AT EWR.

Narrative: AT NIGHT IN 2 1/2 MI FOG AT EWR I WAS ISSUED A TAXI CLRNC OF OUTER MIKE ROMEO TO 22R. WHILE TAXIING WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT TWR. AS WE DID I REALIZED I HAD MISSED ROMEO. (I DECIDED THAT I WOULD HOLD SHORT ON MIKE AND ASK THE TWR IF I COULD BACK TAXI AFTER ANOTHER ACFT DEPARTED.) I THEN HEARD THE TWR TELL THE OTHER ACFT TO CANCEL TKOF CLRNC DUE TO ACFT ON RWY. I THEN HEARD THE TWR TELL ME THAT I WAS ON THE RWY AND THAT I SHOULD MAKE A RIGHT TURN TO TAXI BACK. NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING BECAUSE I COULD SEE I WAS NOT ON THE RWY, AND MY F/O COULD SEE WE WERE ON THE HOLD SHORT LIGHTS, I DECIDED TO FOLLOW (HIS TWR) INSTRUCTIONS. I PULLED FORWARD ONTO THE RWY TO MAKE THE RIGHT TURN. I WAS THEN INFORMED THAT I WAS NOW ON THE RWY AND THAT I SHOULD CONTINUE AND MAKE NEXT RIGHT TURN OFF THE RWY AND TAXI BACK FOR TKOF CLRNC. I SUSPECT WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT AFTER THE CTLR TOLD THE OTHER ACFT HE WAS CLRED FOR TKOF, HE SAW ME IN A POSITION HE DID NOT EXPECT, ON MIKE INSTEAD OF ROMEO. FROM HIS POSITION (BEHIND ME) I MIGHT HAVE LOOKED CLOSER THAN I ACTUALLY WAS. THAT IS WHEN HE MADE THE DECISION TO CANCEL THE ACR'S TKOF CLRNC. I THINK THE MAIN FACTOR WAS ME MISSING ROMEO. I THINK THE REASON THIS HAPPENED WAS 1) 11 HRS ON DUTY, 2) THE F/O OUT OF THE PICTURE DURING TAXI (DOING THE VERY LONG PAX BRIEFING), 3) THE VERY POOR TXWY LIGHTING AT EWR ESPECIALLY AT CRITICAL TURNING POINTS SUCH AS FROM MIKE TXWY TO ROMEO. IN THE FUTURE I WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE F/O IS INFORMED AS TO WHERE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO GO, AND I WILL NOT TAXI WITHOUT THE ARPT DIAGRAM OUT AND HANDY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.