Narrative:

From our location on the cargo ramp at elp international airport, we received clearance to taxi. Runway 8 was the active runway, but we had previously requested runway 4, which was longer and had more favorable winds. Our clearance was 'taxi to runway 4, hold short at taxiway B.' the hold short clearance was read back, and we started to taxi. On the airport diagram, taxiway a crosses the approach end of runway 4 on the non-active side of the approach lights to that runway. We continued to taxi on taxiway a as we looked for signage for taxiway B, which is where we were instructed to hold short. As we continued to taxi we realized that we were now lined up on the centerline for runway 4. We immediately cleared the runway on taxiway C and proceeded to the hold short line for runway 4. It turns out that taxiway B is actually runway 4 on the non-active side of the approach lights for runway 4, and there is no signage on taxiway a as you turn onto the runway to indicate this. This feature is very easy to miss at night. Had we received clearance to taxi to and hold short of runway 4 this incursion would not have happened, as the hold lines are plainly visible at night. The confusion arose when we continued to look for taxiway B and crossed the hold line in doing so. Even though we ended up on the runway centerline we were technically not initially on the runway since we were still behind the approach lights for runway 4 on taxiway B. To make this potentially dangerous situation even worse, this area is not visible to the tower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC8 FLC TAXIES PAST HOLD POINT AT ELP.

Narrative: FROM OUR LOCATION ON THE CARGO RAMP AT ELP INTL ARPT, WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO TAXI. RWY 8 WAS THE ACTIVE RWY, BUT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY REQUESTED RWY 4, WHICH WAS LONGER AND HAD MORE FAVORABLE WINDS. OUR CLRNC WAS 'TAXI TO RWY 4, HOLD SHORT AT TXWY B.' THE HOLD SHORT CLRNC WAS READ BACK, AND WE STARTED TO TAXI. ON THE ARPT DIAGRAM, TXWY A CROSSES THE APCH END OF RWY 4 ON THE NON-ACTIVE SIDE OF THE APCH LIGHTS TO THAT RWY. WE CONTINUED TO TAXI ON TXWY A AS WE LOOKED FOR SIGNAGE FOR TXWY B, WHICH IS WHERE WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO HOLD SHORT. AS WE CONTINUED TO TAXI WE REALIZED THAT WE WERE NOW LINED UP ON THE CTRLINE FOR RWY 4. WE IMMEDIATELY CLRED THE RWY ON TXWY C AND PROCEEDED TO THE HOLD SHORT LINE FOR RWY 4. IT TURNS OUT THAT TXWY B IS ACTUALLY RWY 4 ON THE NON-ACTIVE SIDE OF THE APCH LIGHTS FOR RWY 4, AND THERE IS NO SIGNAGE ON TXWY A AS YOU TURN ONTO THE RWY TO INDICATE THIS. THIS FEATURE IS VERY EASY TO MISS AT NIGHT. HAD WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO TAXI TO AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 4 THIS INCURSION WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED, AS THE HOLD LINES ARE PLAINLY VISIBLE AT NIGHT. THE CONFUSION AROSE WHEN WE CONTINUED TO LOOK FOR TXWY B AND CROSSED THE HOLD LINE IN DOING SO. EVEN THOUGH WE ENDED UP ON THE RWY CTRLINE WE WERE TECHNICALLY NOT INITIALLY ON THE RWY SINCE WE WERE STILL BEHIND THE APCH LIGHTS FOR RWY 4 ON TXWY B. TO MAKE THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIT EVEN WORSE, THIS AREA IS NOT VISIBLE TO THE TWR.

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.