Narrative:

During taxi from 'a' concourse to runway 5R at cle, first officer, while attempting to assist me in finding the way, stated that I take taxiway west to taxiway left for runway 5R. I did so and as I saw the hold line pass under my window, I stopped. Simultaneously the super-alert ground controller called us to 'stop!' no transgression occurred but it was close. Due to my relative unfamiliarity with the cle layout, I was taxiing slowly, so stopping was no problem. Suggestion: if there was a runway sign by whiskey, I (and the first officer) certainly missed it. If there is no sign, we certainly need one. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that he checked the airport diagram himself, then relied on the first officer to give guidance. This was a night operation and as far as he knows there was no lighted sign indicating the runway ahead. He is grateful he saw the hold line and for the vigilance of the ground controller. Reporter feeling is that the controller was watching because this is not the first time for this occurrence. Indeed that is reporter concern, if he did it then someone else could also taxi toward the runway. Controller asked if he could make a 180 degree turn without breaching the runway itself, which was done. Reporter states that he is accustomed to more specific signage indications and was watching for such signs. In rain or snow operations this would easily happen again. This is a broad paved area and can be confusing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG TAXIING STOPS SHORT OF RWY AT HOLD LINE. BELIEVED HE WAS ON TXWY, NOT ENTERING RWY.

Narrative: DURING TAXI FROM 'A' CONCOURSE TO RWY 5R AT CLE, FO, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ASSIST ME IN FINDING THE WAY, STATED THAT I TAKE TXWY W TO TXWY L FOR RWY 5R. I DID SO AND AS I SAW THE HOLD LINE PASS UNDER MY WINDOW, I STOPPED. SIMULTANEOUSLY THE SUPER-ALERT GND CTLR CALLED US TO 'STOP!' NO TRANSGRESSION OCCURRED BUT IT WAS CLOSE. DUE TO MY RELATIVE UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE CLE LAYOUT, I WAS TAXIING SLOWLY, SO STOPPING WAS NO PROB. SUGGESTION: IF THERE WAS A RWY SIGN BY WHISKEY, I (AND THE FO) CERTAINLY MISSED IT. IF THERE IS NO SIGN, WE CERTAINLY NEED ONE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT HE CHKED THE ARPT DIAGRAM HIMSELF, THEN RELIED ON THE FO TO GIVE GUIDANCE. THIS WAS A NIGHT OP AND AS FAR AS HE KNOWS THERE WAS NO LIGHTED SIGN INDICATING THE RWY AHEAD. HE IS GRATEFUL HE SAW THE HOLD LINE AND FOR THE VIGILANCE OF THE GND CTLR. RPTR FEELING IS THAT THE CTLR WAS WATCHING BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME FOR THIS OCCURRENCE. INDEED THAT IS RPTR CONCERN, IF HE DID IT THEN SOMEONE ELSE COULD ALSO TAXI TOWARD THE RWY. CTLR ASKED IF HE COULD MAKE A 180 DEG TURN WITHOUT BREACHING THE RWY ITSELF, WHICH WAS DONE. RPTR STATES THAT HE IS ACCUSTOMED TO MORE SPECIFIC SIGNAGE INDICATIONS AND WAS WATCHING FOR SUCH SIGNS. IN RAIN OR SNOW OPS THIS WOULD EASILY HAPPEN AGAIN. THIS IS A BROAD PAVED AREA AND CAN BE CONFUSING.

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.