Narrative:

B737 was taxiing to runway 12R via taxiway east from the main terminal on #2 engine. After holding short of runway 12L, aircraft cleared to taxi to runway 12R. While starting #1 engine and performing delayed start and takeoff checklists, crew missed hold short line for runway 12R. Aircraft on final executed go around. Hold short line for hou runway 12R is insidiously difficult to see. 3 runway ends start in a fairly close area. Not well defined ends (all concrete), long displaced threshold for runway 12R makes it appear that while taxiing to it, you are not really there yet! Recommend additional markings to identify the hold short lines for hou runway 17, runway 12L&right -- perhaps vertical signs in grass just north of taxiway east. Also, a special note on commercial chart page 10-9 might help. Also maybe have all aircraft hold short of runway 12L until cleared for takeoff on either runway 12L, runway 17 or runway 12R. Callback conversation with reporter acn 400479 revealed the following information: reporter stated that he suggested to captain that both engines should be started upon pushback from the parking gate. Captain liked to taxi out on 1 engine for fuel conservation. Reporter complied with captain's request but it required him to keep his head in the cockpit for a long period of time. Reporter saw the runway 17/35 sign go by, but never saw a sign for runway 12R or anything to indicate where to hold short of runway 12R. He saw the approaching air carrier and stated that if he were flying that aircraft he would have executed a missed approach also. Reporter feels the workload for him was too high, therefore he could not look around for any runway markers or hold short lines.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 ACFT TAXIING AND INSTRUCTED TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY CROSSED THE HOLD SHORT LINE CAUSING AN ACFT ON FINAL APCH TO GAR. RPTR CAPT STATES THAT THE ARPT MARKINGS ARE INADEQUATE FOR THE LOCATION OF 3 CONVERGING RWYS.

Narrative: B737 WAS TAXIING TO RWY 12R VIA TXWY E FROM THE MAIN TERMINAL ON #2 ENG. AFTER HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 12L, ACFT CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 12R. WHILE STARTING #1 ENG AND PERFORMING DELAYED START AND TKOF CHKLISTS, CREW MISSED HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 12R. ACFT ON FINAL EXECUTED GAR. HOLD SHORT LINE FOR HOU RWY 12R IS INSIDIOUSLY DIFFICULT TO SEE. 3 RWY ENDS START IN A FAIRLY CLOSE AREA. NOT WELL DEFINED ENDS (ALL CONCRETE), LONG DISPLACED THRESHOLD FOR RWY 12R MAKES IT APPEAR THAT WHILE TAXIING TO IT, YOU ARE NOT REALLY THERE YET! RECOMMEND ADDITIONAL MARKINGS TO IDENT THE HOLD SHORT LINES FOR HOU RWY 17, RWY 12L&R -- PERHAPS VERT SIGNS IN GRASS JUST N OF TXWY E. ALSO, A SPECIAL NOTE ON COMMERCIAL CHART PAGE 10-9 MIGHT HELP. ALSO MAYBE HAVE ALL ACFT HOLD SHORT OF RWY 12L UNTIL CLRED FOR TKOF ON EITHER RWY 12L, RWY 17 OR RWY 12R. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN 400479 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE SUGGESTED TO CAPT THAT BOTH ENGS SHOULD BE STARTED UPON PUSHBACK FROM THE PARKING GATE. CAPT LIKED TO TAXI OUT ON 1 ENG FOR FUEL CONSERVATION. RPTR COMPLIED WITH CAPT'S REQUEST BUT IT REQUIRED HIM TO KEEP HIS HEAD IN THE COCKPIT FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. RPTR SAW THE RWY 17/35 SIGN GO BY, BUT NEVER SAW A SIGN FOR RWY 12R OR ANYTHING TO INDICATE WHERE TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 12R. HE SAW THE APCHING ACR AND STATED THAT IF HE WERE FLYING THAT ACFT HE WOULD HAVE EXECUTED A MISSED APCH ALSO. RPTR FEELS THE WORKLOAD FOR HIM WAS TOO HIGH, THEREFORE HE COULD NOT LOOK AROUND FOR ANY RWY MARKERS OR HOLD SHORT LINES.

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.