Narrative:

This is the first NASA report I've sent that I feel the system let me down as much as I let the system down. I was unfamiliar with ground localizer at phf -- on landing. The tower normally advises which taxiway to exit the runway, in the absence of that direction, I exited first taxiway available. Tower then came on, switched to ground. I asked for a progressive taxi, they only gave me standard directions. We just had the struts on our aircraft pumped up. They significantly overfilled the front strut. The plane sat like a taildragger, so when we departed, I asked for a progressive taxi, again got direction to runway 2. In an attempt not to bother them, I taxied so slow it was apparent (or should have been) I needed some assistance. I asked owner if I should follow commuter, no -- just keep going on taxiway D, high speed 2. By then I had rolled over hold short line. Ground never said a thing. I switched to tower realizing where I was. He asked if I was ready to go. I said yes, cleared for intersection takeoff. No one ever said a word. Corrective actions: with the nose high, my forward vision was impaired. I immediately returned home, brought plane to shop. I taxied very, very slow. Tower would normally walk you through a taxi when unfamiliar. It would have corrected problem. My rolling just past hold short, even though I stopped immediately, could have been prevented with a little help, although I always will assume the final responsibility! Next time, I need to insist on assistance. It was a non-event, nothing was said, but an error always bothers me because in my mind the accumulation of the small events always leads to the incident that doesn't go unnoticed. They weren't overly busy this saturday. Although pleasant, my questions should have cued them to help just a little more.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA32 PLT LOSES SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND TAXIES ACROSS THE RWY HOLD SHORT LINE AT PHF.

Narrative: THIS IS THE FIRST NASA RPT I'VE SENT THAT I FEEL THE SYS LET ME DOWN AS MUCH AS I LET THE SYS DOWN. I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH GND LOC AT PHF -- ON LNDG. THE TWR NORMALLY ADVISES WHICH TXWY TO EXIT THE RWY, IN THE ABSENCE OF THAT DIRECTION, I EXITED FIRST TXWY AVAILABLE. TWR THEN CAME ON, SWITCHED TO GND. I ASKED FOR A PROGRESSIVE TAXI, THEY ONLY GAVE ME STANDARD DIRECTIONS. WE JUST HAD THE STRUTS ON OUR ACFT PUMPED UP. THEY SIGNIFICANTLY OVERFILLED THE FRONT STRUT. THE PLANE SAT LIKE A TAILDRAGGER, SO WHEN WE DEPARTED, I ASKED FOR A PROGRESSIVE TAXI, AGAIN GOT DIRECTION TO RWY 2. IN AN ATTEMPT NOT TO BOTHER THEM, I TAXIED SO SLOW IT WAS APPARENT (OR SHOULD HAVE BEEN) I NEEDED SOME ASSISTANCE. I ASKED OWNER IF I SHOULD FOLLOW COMMUTER, NO -- JUST KEEP GOING ON TXWY D, HIGH SPD 2. BY THEN I HAD ROLLED OVER HOLD SHORT LINE. GND NEVER SAID A THING. I SWITCHED TO TWR REALIZING WHERE I WAS. HE ASKED IF I WAS READY TO GO. I SAID YES, CLRED FOR INTXN TKOF. NO ONE EVER SAID A WORD. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: WITH THE NOSE HIGH, MY FORWARD VISION WAS IMPAIRED. I IMMEDIATELY RETURNED HOME, BROUGHT PLANE TO SHOP. I TAXIED VERY, VERY SLOW. TWR WOULD NORMALLY WALK YOU THROUGH A TAXI WHEN UNFAMILIAR. IT WOULD HAVE CORRECTED PROB. MY ROLLING JUST PAST HOLD SHORT, EVEN THOUGH I STOPPED IMMEDIATELY, COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED WITH A LITTLE HELP, ALTHOUGH I ALWAYS WILL ASSUME THE FINAL RESPONSIBILITY! NEXT TIME, I NEED TO INSIST ON ASSISTANCE. IT WAS A NON-EVENT, NOTHING WAS SAID, BUT AN ERROR ALWAYS BOTHERS ME BECAUSE IN MY MIND THE ACCUMULATION OF THE SMALL EVENTS ALWAYS LEADS TO THE INCIDENT THAT DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED. THEY WEREN'T OVERLY BUSY THIS SATURDAY. ALTHOUGH PLEASANT, MY QUESTIONS SHOULD HAVE CUED THEM TO HELP JUST A LITTLE MORE.

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.