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Grumman AA5 pilot back taxies on runway believing it to be a taxiway. Almost turns onto adjacent runway in error.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 348015 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199609 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| 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 | |
| Make Model Name | Cheetah, Tiger, Traveler |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | ground other : taxi |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 348015 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : ground |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : became reoriented other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
I was parked at the GA terminal, which is adjacent to runway 31/13. Ground control advised me 'taxi to runway 31, back taxi approved, monitor ground.' runway 31 is very narrow compared to the other runway 30L/right. I was unfamiliar with the airport, so as I taxied onto runway 31, it appeared to me to be a taxiway. The end of runway 31 jogs to a short taxiway, then connects to runway 30R. Since I mistook runway 31 for a taxiway, I was almost about to turn from the short, connecting taxi strip onto runway 30R when ground control told me to stop, do a 180 degree turn, and return to runway 31. It is very easy to mistake the end of runway 31 for a taxiway. It would help GA pilots if there was a sign there which said 'end of runway 31, do not enter runway 30R without ground control approval.' furthermore, stl ground control's practice of issuing very rapid and abbreviated instructions, along with instructions not to reply -- just monitor -- intimidate small aircraft pilots and invite miscom. At the very least, instructions to back taxi on runway 31 should be accompanied by an instruction such as 'caution -- runway 31 connects to runway 30R -- do not enter without prior instruction from ground control.' given the fatal accident which occurred at night at stl a couple of yrs ago when a GA aircraft mistook one runway for another, more needs to be done to caution pilots about this potentially dangerous situation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter did not contact anyone with his suggestions about signage. When asked if he was using the airport diagram he stated 'in my airplane I can't look at that and look outside, too.' it was suggested that he might study the diagram prior to taxi at an unfamiliar airport. Analyst statement that there is no parallel taxiway did not seem to make an impression. Reporter indicated that runway 31 probably used to be a taxiway.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: GRUMMAN AA5 PLT BACK TAXIES ON RWY BELIEVING IT TO BE A TXWY. ALMOST TURNS ONTO ADJACENT RWY IN ERROR.
Narrative: I WAS PARKED AT THE GA TERMINAL, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO RWY 31/13. GND CTL ADVISED ME 'TAXI TO RWY 31, BACK TAXI APPROVED, MONITOR GND.' RWY 31 IS VERY NARROW COMPARED TO THE OTHER RWY 30L/R. I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT, SO AS I TAXIED ONTO RWY 31, IT APPEARED TO ME TO BE A TXWY. THE END OF RWY 31 JOGS TO A SHORT TXWY, THEN CONNECTS TO RWY 30R. SINCE I MISTOOK RWY 31 FOR A TXWY, I WAS ALMOST ABOUT TO TURN FROM THE SHORT, CONNECTING TAXI STRIP ONTO RWY 30R WHEN GND CTL TOLD ME TO STOP, DO A 180 DEG TURN, AND RETURN TO RWY 31. IT IS VERY EASY TO MISTAKE THE END OF RWY 31 FOR A TXWY. IT WOULD HELP GA PLTS IF THERE WAS A SIGN THERE WHICH SAID 'END OF RWY 31, DO NOT ENTER RWY 30R WITHOUT GND CTL APPROVAL.' FURTHERMORE, STL GND CTL'S PRACTICE OF ISSUING VERY RAPID AND ABBREVIATED INSTRUCTIONS, ALONG WITH INSTRUCTIONS NOT TO REPLY -- JUST MONITOR -- INTIMIDATE SMALL ACFT PLTS AND INVITE MISCOM. AT THE VERY LEAST, INSTRUCTIONS TO BACK TAXI ON RWY 31 SHOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN INSTRUCTION SUCH AS 'CAUTION -- RWY 31 CONNECTS TO RWY 30R -- DO NOT ENTER WITHOUT PRIOR INSTRUCTION FROM GND CTL.' GIVEN THE FATAL ACCIDENT WHICH OCCURRED AT NIGHT AT STL A COUPLE OF YRS AGO WHEN A GA ACFT MISTOOK ONE RWY FOR ANOTHER, MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO CAUTION PLTS ABOUT THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR DID NOT CONTACT ANYONE WITH HIS SUGGESTIONS ABOUT SIGNAGE. WHEN ASKED IF HE WAS USING THE ARPT DIAGRAM HE STATED 'IN MY AIRPLANE I CAN'T LOOK AT THAT AND LOOK OUTSIDE, TOO.' IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT HE MIGHT STUDY THE DIAGRAM PRIOR TO TAXI AT AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT. ANALYST STATEMENT THAT THERE IS NO PARALLEL TXWY DID NOT SEEM TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION. RPTR INDICATED THAT RWY 31 PROBABLY USED TO BE A TXWY.
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.