Taxiway incursion by a B737-300 PIC when turning onto the wrong taxiway at bwi, md.

Attributes
ACN	576268
Time
Date	200303
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi.airport
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	576268
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	incursion : taxiway non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Taxiing in baltimore. I am writing to propose a taxiway marking system that could alleviate some of the problems we have had. Bwi is especially tricky. In places where txwys are close to each other, especially where they intersect, I suggest a letter designating the taxiway painted on the taxiway every 50 to 100 ft. This would allow pilots to look out more and not down at page 10-9. On march fri, after landing in bwi on runway 10 and exiting at runway 22, we were told to hold short of echo on alpha. After looking at my 10-9 3 times and trying to verify with the taxiway signs, I still turned onto papa taxiway. As a west coast pilot, I don't get to bwi often, but this could be made much easier with more paint! I would also like to suggest a taxiway sign change. It is sometimes difficult to know which taxiway a sign is designating, as an example, where the sign is on an 'island' between two txwys. A line or an arrow beside the letter on the sign would minimize the confusion. Example: a vertical line on the right side of the 'a,' for taxiway alpha, would indicate that the taxiway is on the right side. An arrow above or beside the 'a' would point to the taxiway designated by the 'a.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TXWY INCURSION BY A B737-300 PIC WHEN TURNING ONTO THE WRONG TXWY AT BWI, MD.

Narrative: TAXIING IN BALTIMORE. I AM WRITING TO PROPOSE A TXWY MARKING SYS THAT COULD ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE PROBS WE HAVE HAD. BWI IS ESPECIALLY TRICKY. IN PLACES WHERE TXWYS ARE CLOSE TO EACH OTHER, ESPECIALLY WHERE THEY INTERSECT, I SUGGEST A LETTER DESIGNATING THE TXWY PAINTED ON THE TXWY EVERY 50 TO 100 FT. THIS WOULD ALLOW PLTS TO LOOK OUT MORE AND NOT DOWN AT PAGE 10-9. ON MARCH FRI, AFTER LNDG IN BWI ON RWY 10 AND EXITING AT RWY 22, WE WERE TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF ECHO ON ALPHA. AFTER LOOKING AT MY 10-9 3 TIMES AND TRYING TO VERIFY WITH THE TXWY SIGNS, I STILL TURNED ONTO PAPA TXWY. AS A WEST COAST PLT, I DON'T GET TO BWI OFTEN, BUT THIS COULD BE MADE MUCH EASIER WITH MORE PAINT! I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SUGGEST A TXWY SIGN CHANGE. IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHICH TXWY A SIGN IS DESIGNATING, AS AN EXAMPLE, WHERE THE SIGN IS ON AN 'ISLAND' BTWN TWO TXWYS. A LINE OR AN ARROW BESIDE THE LETTER ON THE SIGN WOULD MINIMIZE THE CONFUSION. EXAMPLE: A VERTICAL LINE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE 'A,' FOR TXWY ALPHA, WOULD INDICATE THAT THE TXWY IS ON THE R SIDE. AN ARROW ABOVE OR BESIDE THE 'A' WOULD POINT TO THE TXWY DESIGNATED BY THE 'A.'

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.