Narrative:

We were taxiing for departure at cle. Departed from gate and exited the ramp at taxiway right with clearance to taxi to runway 5R. When clear of the ramp I called for the taxi checklist. As we approached the intersection of txwys left, O, right and runways 18 and 5R, the controller reclred us to cross runway 18. This area has recently been rebuilt and green taxiway centerline lights installed. As we transited this area which has no edge lights and few signs, I picked up these new centerline lights and began to follow them. As I crossed runway 18 I realized I was still following taxiway right, at the same time the controller called and told us to hold. As we stopped he told us to make a hard left on runway 18 and continue on taxiway left, which was what I was about to do. As we approached the holding area for runway 5R, the tower asked us to contact them on a secondary frequency. We discussed the incident. The supervisor indicated that this was not the first time it had happened. We told him we had been confused by the taxiway centerline lights. I suggest that these lights be 1-SIDED so they area only visible form the runway side. Since this intersection is so wide with no clear edge lights, it is very tempting to follow the centerline lights, particularly if visibility is restr. We were able to stop before entering the runway because we had enough visibility to realize our mistake before we entered the runway. Had the visibility been more restr, we might not have realized the error until we passed a white runway light. The controller was able to make a timely radio call because they were alerted by earlier incidents and the visibility allowed them to monitor our progress. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter described the intersection of txwys left, right and O. The new centerline lights curve off runway 5R onto taxiway right, similar to the curved line of lights on high speed turnoffs. The area of this intersection is about that of a football field--all solid concrete and some of the edge lighting is missing. Approaching the intersection from the ramp is like entering a large black pit. He thinks he remembers signs at the intersection, but they fail to attract one's attention, as the taxiway right centerline lights lure the pilot onto runway 5R.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG FLT CREW, CONFUSED BY NEW HIGH SPEED TURNOFF CENTERLINE LIGHTS, ENTERS RWY 36 AND ALMOST ENTERS ACTIVE RWY 5R AT CLE.

Narrative: WE WERE TAXIING FOR DEP AT CLE. DEPARTED FROM GATE AND EXITED THE RAMP AT TXWY R WITH CLRNC TO TAXI TO RWY 5R. WHEN CLR OF THE RAMP I CALLED FOR THE TAXI CHKLIST. AS WE APCHED THE INTXN OF TXWYS L, O, R AND RWYS 18 AND 5R, THE CTLR RECLRED US TO CROSS RWY 18. THIS AREA HAS RECENTLY BEEN REBUILT AND GREEN TXWY CENTERLINE LIGHTS INSTALLED. AS WE TRANSITED THIS AREA WHICH HAS NO EDGE LIGHTS AND FEW SIGNS, I PICKED UP THESE NEW CENTERLINE LIGHTS AND BEGAN TO FOLLOW THEM. AS I CROSSED RWY 18 I REALIZED I WAS STILL FOLLOWING TXWY R, AT THE SAME TIME THE CTLR CALLED AND TOLD US TO HOLD. AS WE STOPPED HE TOLD US TO MAKE A HARD LEFT ON RWY 18 AND CONTINUE ON TXWY L, WHICH WAS WHAT I WAS ABOUT TO DO. AS WE APCHED THE HOLDING AREA FOR RWY 5R, THE TWR ASKED US TO CONTACT THEM ON A SECONDARY FREQ. WE DISCUSSED THE INCIDENT. THE SUPVR INDICATED THAT THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT HAD HAPPENED. WE TOLD HIM WE HAD BEEN CONFUSED BY THE TXWY CENTERLINE LIGHTS. I SUGGEST THAT THESE LIGHTS BE 1-SIDED SO THEY AREA ONLY VISIBLE FORM THE RWY SIDE. SINCE THIS INTXN IS SO WIDE WITH NO CLR EDGE LIGHTS, IT IS VERY TEMPTING TO FOLLOW THE CENTERLINE LIGHTS, PARTICULARLY IF VISIBILITY IS RESTR. WE WERE ABLE TO STOP BEFORE ENTERING THE RWY BECAUSE WE HAD ENOUGH VISIBILITY TO REALIZE OUR MISTAKE BEFORE WE ENTERED THE RWY. HAD THE VISIBILITY BEEN MORE RESTR, WE MIGHT NOT HAVE REALIZED THE ERROR UNTIL WE PASSED A WHITE RWY LIGHT. THE CTLR WAS ABLE TO MAKE A TIMELY RADIO CALL BECAUSE THEY WERE ALERTED BY EARLIER INCIDENTS AND THE VISIBILITY ALLOWED THEM TO MONITOR OUR PROGRESS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR DESCRIBED THE INTXN OF TXWYS L, R AND O. THE NEW CENTERLINE LIGHTS CURVE OFF RWY 5R ONTO TXWY R, SIMILAR TO THE CURVED LINE OF LIGHTS ON HIGH SPD TURNOFFS. THE AREA OF THIS INTXN IS ABOUT THAT OF A FOOTBALL FIELD--ALL SOLID CONCRETE AND SOME OF THE EDGE LIGHTING IS MISSING. APCHING THE INTXN FROM THE RAMP IS LIKE ENTERING A LARGE BLACK PIT. HE THINKS HE REMEMBERS SIGNS AT THE INTXN, BUT THEY FAIL TO ATTRACT ONE'S ATTN, AS THE TXWY R CENTERLINE LIGHTS LURE THE PLT ONTO RWY 5R.

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.