Narrative:

I was departing from the eugene, or, airport. I called ground control and they told me to taxi to runway 34 at alpha 5. I interpreted this to mean that I should enter the parallel taxiway at alpha 5 and taxi to the end of the runway. Being unfamiliar with the airport I called 2 other times, for instructions. I was confused as to my location but followed instructions as I understood them. As I taxied onto what I thought was a taxiway I recognized runway markings but had already inadvertently crossed over the runway hold line of a crossing runway. I stopped and I called ground again and was told to make a 180 degree turn and taxi back. As I did I could see the taxiway leading to runway 34 so I called again and asked if I should turn onto it. At this point the controller told me I would be making an intersection departure. After I departed I was contacted by the tower and told that another aircraft that was landing did a go around because they were not sure I was going to stop after I taxied onto the runway. In retrospect I can see that I was confused because I didn't understand that the phrase 'at alpha 5' meant I would make an intersection departure from alpha 5. When I asked for progressive taxi instructions I became confused because I was being directed opposite the direction I thought I should be going, but assumed that I had just become disoriented. I was not looking for a taxiway hold line because I thought I was headed for a taxiway. Once I saw that I was on a runway I immediately stopped and asked for further instructions. At this point I am not certain if I was on the active runway that the other aircraft was landing on or the crossing runway. I never observed another aircraft landing on either runway.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CESSNA 172 PVT PLT BECAME CONFUSED AND DISORIENTED DURING TAXI OUT, EVEN WITH PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS RESULTING IN TAXIING ONTO THE RWY INSTEAD OF XING AND HOLDING SHORT. TWR SENT ANOTHER ACFT ON FINAL AROUND.

Narrative: I WAS DEPARTING FROM THE EUGENE, OR, ARPT. I CALLED GND CTL AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAXI TO RWY 34 AT ALPHA 5. I INTERPRETED THIS TO MEAN THAT I SHOULD ENTER THE PARALLEL TXWY AT ALPHA 5 AND TAXI TO THE END OF THE RWY. BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT I CALLED 2 OTHER TIMES, FOR INSTRUCTIONS. I WAS CONFUSED AS TO MY LOCATION BUT FOLLOWED INSTRUCTIONS AS I UNDERSTOOD THEM. AS I TAXIED ONTO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A TXWY I RECOGNIZED RWY MARKINGS BUT HAD ALREADY INADVERTENTLY CROSSED OVER THE RWY HOLD LINE OF A XING RWY. I STOPPED AND I CALLED GND AGAIN AND WAS TOLD TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN AND TAXI BACK. AS I DID I COULD SEE THE TXWY LEADING TO RWY 34 SO I CALLED AGAIN AND ASKED IF I SHOULD TURN ONTO IT. AT THIS POINT THE CTLR TOLD ME I WOULD BE MAKING AN INTXN DEP. AFTER I DEPARTED I WAS CONTACTED BY THE TWR AND TOLD THAT ANOTHER ACFT THAT WAS LNDG DID A GAR BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT SURE I WAS GOING TO STOP AFTER I TAXIED ONTO THE RWY. IN RETROSPECT I CAN SEE THAT I WAS CONFUSED BECAUSE I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT THE PHRASE 'AT ALPHA 5' MEANT I WOULD MAKE AN INTXN DEP FROM ALPHA 5. WHEN I ASKED FOR PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS I BECAME CONFUSED BECAUSE I WAS BEING DIRECTED OPPOSITE THE DIRECTION I THOUGHT I SHOULD BE GOING, BUT ASSUMED THAT I HAD JUST BECOME DISORIENTED. I WAS NOT LOOKING FOR A TXWY HOLD LINE BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS HEADED FOR A TXWY. ONCE I SAW THAT I WAS ON A RWY I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AND ASKED FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. AT THIS POINT I AM NOT CERTAIN IF I WAS ON THE ACTIVE RWY THAT THE OTHER ACFT WAS LNDG ON OR THE XING RWY. I NEVER OBSERVED ANOTHER ACFT LNDG ON EITHER RWY.

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.