Narrative:

Pushed back from gate in el paso. Called for taxi after starting #1 engine. Tower instructed us to, 'taxi to runway 8R via juliet.' it's all tarmac there with no real taxiway markers we saw from the ramp (south of 8R). I was starting #2 engine and running the taxi and before takeoff checklist when tower/ground told us to 'hold our position.' we had taxied onto the approach segment of 8R. The hold short line at juliet is very poorly marked and obscured by rubber deposits and oil. Luckily they were landing runway 22 and only using runway 8R for takeoff, as winds were calm. Perhaps some sort of in ground lighting would be appropriate there. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that it was daylight with clear WX when the runway incursion occurred. Reporter stated that he did not see any signs indicating a taxiway or runway, but that since it is a short distance from the ramp to the runway 8R extension they might have passed any signs before they started looking for the taxiway. Reporter advised that he and the captain were using the commercial 10-9 airport diagram to try and figure out where taxiway J intersected the south side of runway 8R. Reporter stated that the entire area adjacent to the runway 8R approach segment is very confusing and that the ramp, txwys and runways have a uniform appearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 RWY INCURSION ON THE APCH SEGMENT OF RWY 8 AT ELP. FLT CREW BLAMES POORLY MARKED HOLD SHORT LINE AT TXWY J.

Narrative: PUSHED BACK FROM GATE IN EL PASO. CALLED FOR TAXI AFTER STARTING #1 ENG. TWR INSTRUCTED US TO, 'TAXI TO RWY 8R VIA JULIET.' IT'S ALL TARMAC THERE WITH NO REAL TXWY MARKERS WE SAW FROM THE RAMP (SOUTH OF 8R). I WAS STARTING #2 ENG AND RUNNING THE TAXI AND BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST WHEN TWR/GND TOLD US TO 'HOLD OUR POSITION.' WE HAD TAXIED ONTO THE APCH SEGMENT OF 8R. THE HOLD SHORT LINE AT JULIET IS VERY POORLY MARKED AND OBSCURED BY RUBBER DEPOSITS AND OIL. LUCKILY THEY WERE LNDG RWY 22 AND ONLY USING RWY 8R FOR TKOF, AS WINDS WERE CALM. PERHAPS SOME SORT OF IN GND LIGHTING WOULD BE APPROPRIATE THERE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT IT WAS DAYLIGHT WITH CLR WX WHEN THE RWY INCURSION OCCURRED. RPTR STATED THAT HE DID NOT SEE ANY SIGNS INDICATING A TXWY OR RWY, BUT THAT SINCE IT IS A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE RAMP TO THE RWY 8R EXTENSION THEY MIGHT HAVE PASSED ANY SIGNS BEFORE THEY STARTED LOOKING FOR THE TXWY. RPTR ADVISED THAT HE AND THE CAPT WERE USING THE COMMERCIAL 10-9 ARPT DIAGRAM TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT WHERE TXWY J INTERSECTED THE S SIDE OF RWY 8R. RPTR STATED THAT THE ENTIRE AREA ADJACENT TO THE RWY 8R APCH SEGMENT IS VERY CONFUSING AND THAT THE RAMP, TXWYS AND RWYS HAVE A UNIFORM APPEARANCE.

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.