A PA31 pilot becomes disoriented due to snow on the taxiway and inadvertently turned onto taxiway in...

Attributes
ACN	576445
Time
Date	200303
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : syr.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Snow
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	PA-31T-1 Cheyenne I
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	576445
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Events
Anomaly	incursion : taxiway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Weather Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Cleared for takeoff runway 28 at syr. Turned left onto what I expected to be runway 28. It was taxiway a! My brain went into scrambled mode. Tower wanted to know how I got there. I didn't know then and I don't know now. It was snowing enough that the tower couldn't see my position, and the hold lines were covered with snow. I don't remember seeing the runway signs. I had departed on this same runway at XF30 hours and have been there many times in the past 39 yrs. Maybe the long day, departed 2b7 at XA00 hours and had flown about 6 hours at time of incident was a factor. I wish I had the answer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA31 PLT BECOMES DISORIENTED DUE TO SNOW ON THE TXWY AND INADVERTENTLY TURNED ONTO TXWY INSTEAD OF RWY.

Narrative: CLRED FOR TKOF RWY 28 AT SYR. TURNED L ONTO WHAT I EXPECTED TO BE RWY 28. IT WAS TXWY A! MY BRAIN WENT INTO SCRAMBLED MODE. TWR WANTED TO KNOW HOW I GOT THERE. I DIDN'T KNOW THEN AND I DON'T KNOW NOW. IT WAS SNOWING ENOUGH THAT THE TWR COULDN'T SEE MY POS, AND THE HOLD LINES WERE COVERED WITH SNOW. I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING THE RWY SIGNS. I HAD DEPARTED ON THIS SAME RWY AT XF30 HRS AND HAVE BEEN THERE MANY TIMES IN THE PAST 39 YRS. MAYBE THE LONG DAY, DEPARTED 2B7 AT XA00 HRS AND HAD FLOWN ABOUT 6 HRS AT TIME OF INCIDENT WAS A FACTOR. I WISH I HAD THE ANSWER.

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.

A PA31 pilot becomes disoriented due to snow on the taxiway and inadvertently turned onto taxiway instead of runway.