An air carrier light transport taxied onto an inactive runway while taxiing for takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	229948
Time
Date	199212
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
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	Light Transport
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 : 240 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	229948
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 flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

I was taxiing out for departure from spot a to runway 12L, via taxiway echo and charlie to hold short of runway 12L. The WX clear sky and good visibility. While taxiing on echo, I didn't see a taxiway marker indicating taxiway charlie, so I held on runway 06-24 which was not active. I have also used runway 06-24 in the past for a taxiway to runway 12L. I could see traffic landing on runway 12L, so I held there short of active runway 12L until ground controller told me to contact the tower. I think if the taxiway markers were more visible, I would not have had this problem. There was not an incident, but I can see where there might have.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LTT TAXIED ONTO AN INACTIVE RWY WHILE TAXIING FOR TKOF.

Narrative: I WAS TAXIING OUT FOR DEP FROM SPOT A TO RWY 12L, VIA TXWY ECHO AND CHARLIE TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 12L. THE WX CLR SKY AND GOOD VISIBILITY. WHILE TAXIING ON ECHO, I DIDN'T SEE A TXWY MARKER INDICATING TXWY CHARLIE, SO I HELD ON RWY 06-24 WHICH WAS NOT ACTIVE. I HAVE ALSO USED RWY 06-24 IN THE PAST FOR A TXWY TO RWY 12L. I COULD SEE TFC LNDG ON RWY 12L, SO I HELD THERE SHORT OF ACTIVE RWY 12L UNTIL GND CTLR TOLD ME TO CONTACT THE TWR. I THINK IF THE TXWY MARKERS WERE MORE VISIBLE, I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THIS PROB. THERE WAS NOT AN INCIDENT, BUT I CAN SEE WHERE THERE MIGHT HAVE.

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.