Narrative:

I am filing this report because I inadvertently crossed a hold line without a clearance. Having received clearance to taxi to runway 31 in harrisburg, PA (mdt) via taxiway a, the first officer and I completed our before takeoff flows and checklists during taxi. Several hundred ft before the runway, believing the hold line was still in front of us, we radioed the tower we were ready for takeoff. At this time, the tower controller told us to hold our position and that the hold line was behind us. Upon arriving at our destination, I called the mdt tower controller. The tower controller said that the placement of the hold line has created substantial and on-going problems for pilots. Contributing to this incident was the fact that this was my first flight in and out of mdt. A confusing note on the airport diagram stating that the runway 31 hold line was 300 ft east of taxiway F when, in review, it appears that the east edge of taxiway F is the hold line. The wigwag lights were off or inoperative and the signage and taxiway hold line markings were poor. To correct the problem, I suggest that the note on the airport diagram be revised to better depict the hold line, hold line signage and markings be enhanced and yellow in-pavement hold short guard lights be placed along the hold line. Supplemental information from acn 620658: what made it difficult to see was that the yellow lines are painted on concrete just prior to transitioning to asphalt. If you're not looking for it, in its already unusual position, your eyes will notice the change or contrast in pavement before the line.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E145 FLT CREW CROSSED RWY 31 HOLD LINE TAXIING FOR DEP AT MDT, PA.

Narrative: I AM FILING THIS RPT BECAUSE I INADVERTENTLY CROSSED A HOLD LINE WITHOUT A CLRNC. HAVING RECEIVED CLRNC TO TAXI TO RWY 31 IN HARRISBURG, PA (MDT) VIA TXWY A, THE FO AND I COMPLETED OUR BEFORE TKOF FLOWS AND CHKLISTS DURING TAXI. SEVERAL HUNDRED FT BEFORE THE RWY, BELIEVING THE HOLD LINE WAS STILL IN FRONT OF US, WE RADIOED THE TWR WE WERE READY FOR TKOF. AT THIS TIME, THE TWR CTLR TOLD US TO HOLD OUR POS AND THAT THE HOLD LINE WAS BEHIND US. UPON ARRIVING AT OUR DEST, I CALLED THE MDT TWR CTLR. THE TWR CTLR SAID THAT THE PLACEMENT OF THE HOLD LINE HAS CREATED SUBSTANTIAL AND ON-GOING PROBS FOR PLTS. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS INCIDENT WAS THE FACT THAT THIS WAS MY FIRST FLT IN AND OUT OF MDT. A CONFUSING NOTE ON THE ARPT DIAGRAM STATING THAT THE RWY 31 HOLD LINE WAS 300 FT E OF TXWY F WHEN, IN REVIEW, IT APPEARS THAT THE E EDGE OF TXWY F IS THE HOLD LINE. THE WIGWAG LIGHTS WERE OFF OR INOP AND THE SIGNAGE AND TXWY HOLD LINE MARKINGS WERE POOR. TO CORRECT THE PROB, I SUGGEST THAT THE NOTE ON THE ARPT DIAGRAM BE REVISED TO BETTER DEPICT THE HOLD LINE, HOLD LINE SIGNAGE AND MARKINGS BE ENHANCED AND YELLOW IN-PAVEMENT HOLD SHORT GUARD LIGHTS BE PLACED ALONG THE HOLD LINE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 620658: WHAT MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE WAS THAT THE YELLOW LINES ARE PAINTED ON CONCRETE JUST PRIOR TO TRANSITIONING TO ASPHALT. IF YOU'RE NOT LOOKING FOR IT, IN ITS ALREADY UNUSUAL POS, YOUR EYES WILL NOTICE THE CHANGE OR CONTRAST IN PAVEMENT BEFORE THE LINE.

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.