Narrative:

I had received my license recently, and had always wanted to fly into and land at lax (as most student pilots dream of). The WX was extremely clear, so I decided to try my luck. I was granted a VFR clearance to enter TCA and land. Upon landing I requested progressive taxi instructions back to the active runway for takeoff. After a string of instructions, I stated that this was my first time to this airport, and would you please follow my progress. Apparently I was let go for a moment during my taxiing, and I inadvertently took a wrong taxiway, which led me on to a runway, and an incursion occurred. Fortunately the runway was inactive, or a very serious accident could have occurred. I was pulled over (so to speak) by the airport police, and discussed the incident with both them and the controller in the tower (via landline). Since no real safety was compromised, or no diversions were necessary, this incident was chalked up as a learning experience for everyone. I lay blame foremost upon myself as PIC, for not being more aware of where I was, or should be, and secondly to the controller(south) for not being more sensitive to my taxiing needs. It would also be helpful if there was readily more available, good detailed plates available to VFR only pilots of the taxi system at larger, more complex airports, to help in the future of avoiding this problem in particular.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH RWY ENTRY DURING A NIGHT OP BY PVT PLT IN SMA, FIRST TIMER INTO LAX.

Narrative: I HAD RECEIVED MY LICENSE RECENTLY, AND HAD ALWAYS WANTED TO FLY INTO AND LAND AT LAX (AS MOST STUDENT PLTS DREAM OF). THE WX WAS EXTREMELY CLR, SO I DECIDED TO TRY MY LUCK. I WAS GRANTED A VFR CLRNC TO ENTER TCA AND LAND. UPON LNDG I REQUESTED PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS BACK TO THE ACTIVE RWY FOR TKOF. AFTER A STRING OF INSTRUCTIONS, I STATED THAT THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME TO THIS ARPT, AND WOULD YOU PLEASE FOLLOW MY PROGRESS. APPARENTLY I WAS LET GO FOR A MOMENT DURING MY TAXIING, AND I INADVERTENTLY TOOK A WRONG TXWY, WHICH LED ME ON TO A RWY, AND AN INCURSION OCCURRED. FORTUNATELY THE RWY WAS INACTIVE, OR A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED. I WAS PULLED OVER (SO TO SPEAK) BY THE ARPT POLICE, AND DISCUSSED THE INCIDENT WITH BOTH THEM AND THE CTLR IN THE TWR (VIA LANDLINE). SINCE NO REAL SAFETY WAS COMPROMISED, OR NO DIVERSIONS WERE NECESSARY, THIS INCIDENT WAS CHALKED UP AS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE. I LAY BLAME FOREMOST UPON MYSELF AS PIC, FOR NOT BEING MORE AWARE OF WHERE I WAS, OR SHOULD BE, AND SECONDLY TO THE CTLR(S) FOR NOT BEING MORE SENSITIVE TO MY TAXIING NEEDS. IT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL IF THERE WAS READILY MORE AVAILABLE, GOOD DETAILED PLATES AVAILABLE TO VFR ONLY PLTS OF THE TAXI SYS AT LARGER, MORE COMPLEX ARPTS, TO HELP IN THE FUTURE OF AVOIDING THIS PROB IN PARTICULAR.

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.