Narrative:

I nearly taxied onto active runway having mistaken it for the parallel taxiway. This occurred at a field that was somewhat, but not totally unfamiliar to me. I was cleared to taxi to the active runway from transient parking. In the area where parked, the taxiway was merged with the pavement of the parking apron and was marked by standard yellow stripe. In other areas, there was a grass areas between parking and the parallel. In beginning taxi, I passed through the taxiway and was nearly onto the runway before realizing the error, turned around and called the tower to apologize. Tower responded: 'you would be surprised how many people make that mistake.' no danger to aircraft or other traffic existed since there was no other activity at the airport at the time. Flashing warning lights at those taxiway entrances to the runway that come straight off of the parking area might help avoid confusion, especially when taxiing into the sun. Extra vigilance by pilot would also help, especially in more accurately locating starting point on a semi-familiar field.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MISTAKING IT FOR THE 'PARALLEL' TXWY, PLT OF PA28 NEARLY TAXIED ONTO RWY 6-24 AT MVY IN AN AREA WHERE THE TXWY AND RAMP AREA ARE A COMMON HARD SURFACE.

Narrative: I NEARLY TAXIED ONTO ACTIVE RWY HAVING MISTAKEN IT FOR THE PARALLEL TXWY. THIS OCCURRED AT A FIELD THAT WAS SOMEWHAT, BUT NOT TOTALLY UNFAMILIAR TO ME. I WAS CLRED TO TAXI TO THE ACTIVE RWY FROM TRANSIENT PARKING. IN THE AREA WHERE PARKED, THE TXWY WAS MERGED WITH THE PAVEMENT OF THE PARKING APRON AND WAS MARKED BY STANDARD YELLOW STRIPE. IN OTHER AREAS, THERE WAS A GRASS AREAS BTWN PARKING AND THE PARALLEL. IN BEGINNING TAXI, I PASSED THROUGH THE TXWY AND WAS NEARLY ONTO THE RWY BEFORE REALIZING THE ERROR, TURNED AROUND AND CALLED THE TWR TO APOLOGIZE. TWR RESPONDED: 'YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED HOW MANY PEOPLE MAKE THAT MISTAKE.' NO DANGER TO ACFT OR OTHER TFC EXISTED SINCE THERE WAS NO OTHER ACTIVITY AT THE ARPT AT THE TIME. FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS AT THOSE TXWY ENTRANCES TO THE RWY THAT COME STRAIGHT OFF OF THE PARKING AREA MIGHT HELP AVOID CONFUSION, ESPECIALLY WHEN TAXIING INTO THE SUN. EXTRA VIGILANCE BY PLT WOULD ALSO HELP, ESPECIALLY IN MORE ACCURATELY LOCATING STARTING POINT ON A SEMI-FAMILIAR FIELD.

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.