Narrative:

While taxiing for takeoff at hnl airport runway 8R, our clearance was to 'hold short of the approach end of runway 4R.' we acknowledged this clearance and the three of us, me, the captain, the first officer and the international relief officer, all were looking for signage to indicate the approach end of runway 4R. Let me say here, that all three of us have only flown out of hnl once or twice, also, that particular night runway 8L was closed for repairs and therefore the routing to runway 8R was unusual and complex. In addition to all of this, I , and the other two pilots agreed that in all our yrs of flying (33 yrs for me) have never received a clearance of 'hold short of the approach end of a runway.' with that said we continued taxiing past the hold short point for runway 4R while enroute to runway 8R for takeoff. The controller told us we had passed the hold short point. We said we had been looking for said hold point and asked if it was marked, he said affirmative. It is painted on the taxiway and not marked by a sign on the taxiway edge as is usually the case to mark significant points on the airport environment. Because all three of us were unfamiliar with hnl, and because the taxi clearance was unusual and complex, I briefed the other two pilots to take out their commercial chart pages and back me up. Even being as careful as possible we all missed the small note on the chart indicating the hold point. We clearly made a mistake. To avoid this ever happening in the future, (I can assure you we're not the first nor will we be the last to make this same mistake), can I suggest a sign be placed on the taxiway edge and have wig-wag lights installed to mark the hold point when it is active. Also, if the controller could have advised we were approaching the hold point specifically by distance to hold point, we would not have taxied past. This could help to avoid future mistakes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767-400 CREW CROSSED HOLD SHORT PAINT MARKINGS ON TXWY RA IN HNL. THERE WERE NO TXWY SIGNS INDICATING THE HOLD POINT.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING FOR TKOF AT HNL ARPT RWY 8R, OUR CLRNC WAS TO 'HOLD SHORT OF THE APCH END OF RWY 4R.' WE ACKNOWLEDGED THIS CLRNC AND THE THREE OF US, ME, THE CAPT, THE FO AND THE IRO, ALL WERE LOOKING FOR SIGNAGE TO INDICATE THE APCH END OF RWY 4R. LET ME SAY HERE, THAT ALL THREE OF US HAVE ONLY FLOWN OUT OF HNL ONCE OR TWICE, ALSO, THAT PARTICULAR NIGHT RWY 8L WAS CLOSED FOR REPAIRS AND THEREFORE THE ROUTING TO RWY 8R WAS UNUSUAL AND COMPLEX. IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THIS, I , AND THE OTHER TWO PLTS AGREED THAT IN ALL OUR YRS OF FLYING (33 YRS FOR ME) HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A CLRNC OF 'HOLD SHORT OF THE APCH END OF A RWY.' WITH THAT SAID WE CONTINUED TAXIING PAST THE HOLD SHORT POINT FOR RWY 4R WHILE ENROUTE TO RWY 8R FOR TKOF. THE CTLR TOLD US WE HAD PASSED THE HOLD SHORT POINT. WE SAID WE HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR SAID HOLD POINT AND ASKED IF IT WAS MARKED, HE SAID AFFIRMATIVE. IT IS PAINTED ON THE TXWY AND NOT MARKED BY A SIGN ON THE TXWY EDGE AS IS USUALLY THE CASE TO MARK SIGNIFICANT POINTS ON THE ARPT ENVIRONMENT. BECAUSE ALL THREE OF US WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH HNL, AND BECAUSE THE TAXI CLRNC WAS UNUSUAL AND COMPLEX, I BRIEFED THE OTHER TWO PLTS TO TAKE OUT THEIR COMMERCIAL CHART PAGES AND BACK ME UP. EVEN BEING AS CAREFUL AS POSSIBLE WE ALL MISSED THE SMALL NOTE ON THE CHART INDICATING THE HOLD POINT. WE CLEARLY MADE A MISTAKE. TO AVOID THIS EVER HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE, (I CAN ASSURE YOU WE'RE NOT THE FIRST NOR WILL WE BE THE LAST TO MAKE THIS SAME MISTAKE), CAN I SUGGEST A SIGN BE PLACED ON THE TXWY EDGE AND HAVE WIG-WAG LIGHTS INSTALLED TO MARK THE HOLD POINT WHEN IT IS ACTIVE. ALSO, IF THE CTLR COULD HAVE ADVISED WE WERE APCHING THE HOLD POINT SPECIFICALLY BY DISTANCE TO HOLD POINT, WE WOULD NOT HAVE TAXIED PAST. THIS COULD HELP TO AVOID FUTURE MISTAKES.

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.