Narrative:

The whole trip had gone well. I'm flying with a very good first officer. Ramp/taxiway conditions not bad but a bit post snow removal; gusty and some patch ice. Pushed on time. Ramp control told us to proceed to taxiway C3 ramp entry point; stay on the outside and continue to taxiway D3 contact ground control approaching taxiway B3. We did so. Ground control told us to proceed via taxiway east to runway 10C. I was watching another carrier B737-300 holding short of taxiway D on taxiway west so I went straight taxiway east from taxiway D3; went left on taxiway east; then turned right on taxiway west for runway 10C. Here's where it gets interesting. As you make the turn onto taxiway west you are immediately presented with a large 'hold approach' sign. I was trying to look beyond the very well lit sign for the painted hold short line. Didn't see them. Whoa! We were entering the runway overrun area. We advised the tower that we may have gone a bit too far. The controller seemed unconcerned and told us to go into position and hold runway 10C. About 1 min later; we were cleared for takeoff. I got the impression that what happened with us may not be an uncommon event. I am not really worried about the event; but I feel the way the area is marked; etc; it is prone to 'getcha.' the point -- unfamiliarity with that area of the airport; night operations; markings not quite standard; and a bit obscured on the ground.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 CREW COMMENTS ON THE PIT RWY 10C HOLD SHORT LOCATION BEING UNCLR WITH CURRENT SIGNAGE.

Narrative: THE WHOLE TRIP HAD GONE WELL. I'M FLYING WITH A VERY GOOD FO. RAMP/TXWY CONDITIONS NOT BAD BUT A BIT POST SNOW REMOVAL; GUSTY AND SOME PATCH ICE. PUSHED ON TIME. RAMP CTL TOLD US TO PROCEED TO TXWY C3 RAMP ENTRY POINT; STAY ON THE OUTSIDE AND CONTINUE TO TXWY D3 CONTACT GND CTL APCHING TXWY B3. WE DID SO. GND CTL TOLD US TO PROCEED VIA TXWY E TO RWY 10C. I WAS WATCHING ANOTHER CARRIER B737-300 HOLDING SHORT OF TXWY D ON TXWY W SO I WENT STRAIGHT TXWY E FROM TXWY D3; WENT L ON TXWY E; THEN TURNED RIGHT ON TXWY W FOR RWY 10C. HERE'S WHERE IT GETS INTERESTING. AS YOU MAKE THE TURN ONTO TXWY W YOU ARE IMMEDIATELY PRESENTED WITH A LARGE 'HOLD APCH' SIGN. I WAS TRYING TO LOOK BEYOND THE VERY WELL LIT SIGN FOR THE PAINTED HOLD SHORT LINE. DIDN'T SEE THEM. WHOA! WE WERE ENTERING THE RWY OVERRUN AREA. WE ADVISED THE TWR THAT WE MAY HAVE GONE A BIT TOO FAR. THE CTLR SEEMED UNCONCERNED AND TOLD US TO GO INTO POSITION AND HOLD RWY 10C. ABOUT 1 MIN LATER; WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT WHAT HAPPENED WITH US MAY NOT BE AN UNCOMMON EVENT. I AM NOT REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THE EVENT; BUT I FEEL THE WAY THE AREA IS MARKED; ETC; IT IS PRONE TO 'GETCHA.' THE POINT -- UNFAMILIARITY WITH THAT AREA OF THE ARPT; NIGHT OPS; MARKINGS NOT QUITE STANDARD; AND A BIT OBSCURED ON THE GND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.