A C172 pilot unfamiliar with airport, taxied onto active runway.

Attributes
ACN	512358
Time
Date	200105
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pub.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Hercules (C-130)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 225 flight time type : 225
ASRS Report	512358
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 30000
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance FAA Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At approximately XA00 mdt I diverted into publication to wait out high winds at cos. I had landed at publication approximately 1 yr earlier and taxied there that time. I had done a couple of approachs there a few months earlier (no ground movement). At XC59 I turned up ATIS and discovered the tower closed at XD00. On the second radio I heard tower communicating with an aircraft, at the end of that conversation the controller broadcasted an end of the day message indicating the airport was no longer considered class D airspace. I started engines and made a taxiing call on CTAF indicating I would be going to runway 35. Taxiing north on the ramp I did not see any yellow lines, though I was looking for a taxi line to follow. I had a current united states terminal procedures southwest vol 1 next to me but improperly, felt I was familiar with where I needed to go and did not at this time consult it. Shortly after starting to taxi my landing light illuminated a white line which caused me to pause and turn to the west. Still wondering about why the line was white I noticed I was taxiing on the hold short line. Looking further west I saw the lighted runway sign and then made an immediate turn to the south. At that time there was a radio call (I assume from the tower controller who just happened to see me before leaving) saying something like cessna taxiing to runway 35 you're on runway 26. When well clear I stopped and looked at the airport facility directory. About that time the C130 called final and asked me to call clear the runway. The C130's radio calls included the phrase 'lights out landing.' I'm not sure what that means. I'm not sure how come I did not notice the taxi line or missed the hold short line. If ground/tower had been operating instructions like taxi to runway 35 via taxiway a would have prompted me to look at the airport facility directory. If I were at an uncontrolled airport I would have looked at the airport facility directory.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PLT UNFAMILIAR WITH ARPT, TAXIED ONTO ACTIVE RWY.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA00 MDT I DIVERTED INTO PUB TO WAIT OUT HIGH WINDS AT COS. I HAD LANDED AT PUB APPROX 1 YR EARLIER AND TAXIED THERE THAT TIME. I HAD DONE A COUPLE OF APCHS THERE A FEW MONTHS EARLIER (NO GND MOVEMENT). AT XC59 I TURNED UP ATIS AND DISCOVERED THE TWR CLOSED AT XD00. ON THE SECOND RADIO I HEARD TWR COMMUNICATING WITH AN ACFT, AT THE END OF THAT CONVERSATION THE CTLR BROADCASTED AN END OF THE DAY MESSAGE INDICATING THE ARPT WAS NO LONGER CONSIDERED CLASS D AIRSPACE. I STARTED ENGS AND MADE A TAXIING CALL ON CTAF INDICATING I WOULD BE GOING TO RWY 35. TAXIING N ON THE RAMP I DID NOT SEE ANY YELLOW LINES, THOUGH I WAS LOOKING FOR A TAXI LINE TO FOLLOW. I HAD A CURRENT UNITED STATES TERMINAL PROCS SW VOL 1 NEXT TO ME BUT IMPROPERLY, FELT I WAS FAMILIAR WITH WHERE I NEEDED TO GO AND DID NOT AT THIS TIME CONSULT IT. SHORTLY AFTER STARTING TO TAXI MY LNDG LIGHT ILLUMINATED A WHITE LINE WHICH CAUSED ME TO PAUSE AND TURN TO THE W. STILL WONDERING ABOUT WHY THE LINE WAS WHITE I NOTICED I WAS TAXIING ON THE HOLD SHORT LINE. LOOKING FURTHER W I SAW THE LIGHTED RWY SIGN AND THEN MADE AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO THE S. AT THAT TIME THERE WAS A RADIO CALL (I ASSUME FROM THE TWR CTLR WHO JUST HAPPENED TO SEE ME BEFORE LEAVING) SAYING SOMETHING LIKE CESSNA TAXIING TO RWY 35 YOU'RE ON RWY 26. WHEN WELL CLR I STOPPED AND LOOKED AT THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY. ABOUT THAT TIME THE C130 CALLED FINAL AND ASKED ME TO CALL CLR THE RWY. THE C130'S RADIO CALLS INCLUDED THE PHRASE 'LIGHTS OUT LNDG.' I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT MEANS. I'M NOT SURE HOW COME I DID NOT NOTICE THE TAXI LINE OR MISSED THE HOLD SHORT LINE. IF GND/TWR HAD BEEN OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS LIKE TAXI TO RWY 35 VIA TXWY A WOULD HAVE PROMPTED ME TO LOOK AT THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY. IF I WERE AT AN UNCTLED ARPT I WOULD HAVE LOOKED AT THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY.

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.