Narrative:

We pushed back from gate. Upon requesting taxi clearance we were cleared via H-2 and taxiway V to hold short of taxiway K. Upon approaching taxiway K we switched to east sector ground control and advised that we were approaching taxiway K. We were cleared by ground control to continue and turn right on taxiway Y to runway 21R. It was dark and while there was no clutter on the txwys to speak of, the taxiway yellow centerline striping was nearly invisible. We were taxiing with caution so as to correctly identify the taxiway Y. There was some discussion with my first officer whether the taxiway we were passing was taxiway K or taxiway Y. The end result was that we missed the intersection of taxiway Y and found ourselves approaching the hold short line for runway 21R. Ground control, my first officer, and I seemed to realize at the same moment what had happened. Ground control instructed us to hold position and I acknowledged that we were holding short. Since there was no room for a 180 degree turn, ground control cleared us to cross runway 21R and proceed via the parallel taxiway Z to runway 21R. This we did without further incident. I believe that the reason for our confusion was because of what I, at least, consider to be the nonstandard location of the taxiway signage for our taxi route. It seems to me that normally, taxiway intxns are located immediately beyond the signage for the intersecting taxiway. In this case, the signage for the intersecting txwys are located on the far side of the appropriate intersection. As I said, this seems nonstandard, or at least unusual.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR ADMITS ALMOST INTRUDING ON ACTIVE RWY AS A RESULT OF MISREADING TXWY SIGNS.

Narrative: WE PUSHED BACK FROM GATE. UPON REQUESTING TAXI CLRNC WE WERE CLRED VIA H-2 AND TXWY V TO HOLD SHORT OF TXWY K. UPON APCHING TXWY K WE SWITCHED TO E SECTOR GND CTL AND ADVISED THAT WE WERE APCHING TXWY K. WE WERE CLRED BY GND CTL TO CONTINUE AND TURN R ON TXWY Y TO RWY 21R. IT WAS DARK AND WHILE THERE WAS NO CLUTTER ON THE TXWYS TO SPEAK OF, THE TXWY YELLOW CTRLINE STRIPING WAS NEARLY INVISIBLE. WE WERE TAXIING WITH CAUTION SO AS TO CORRECTLY IDENT THE TXWY Y. THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION WITH MY FO WHETHER THE TXWY WE WERE PASSING WAS TXWY K OR TXWY Y. THE END RESULT WAS THAT WE MISSED THE INTXN OF TXWY Y AND FOUND OURSELVES APCHING THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 21R. GND CTL, MY FO, AND I SEEMED TO REALIZE AT THE SAME MOMENT WHAT HAD HAPPENED. GND CTL INSTRUCTED US TO HOLD POS AND I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE WERE HOLDING SHORT. SINCE THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR A 180 DEG TURN, GND CTL CLRED US TO CROSS RWY 21R AND PROCEED VIA THE PARALLEL TXWY Z TO RWY 21R. THIS WE DID WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THAT THE REASON FOR OUR CONFUSION WAS BECAUSE OF WHAT I, AT LEAST, CONSIDER TO BE THE NONSTANDARD LOCATION OF THE TXWY SIGNAGE FOR OUR TAXI RTE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT NORMALLY, TXWY INTXNS ARE LOCATED IMMEDIATELY BEYOND THE SIGNAGE FOR THE INTERSECTING TXWY. IN THIS CASE, THE SIGNAGE FOR THE INTERSECTING TXWYS ARE LOCATED ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE APPROPRIATE INTXN. AS I SAID, THIS SEEMS NONSTANDARD, OR AT LEAST UNUSUAL.

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.