Narrative:

I was the captain. We had a reduced rest overnight in sav with an XA05 report time and an XA50 departure. The tower in sav did not open until XB00. We received our clearance from ZJX and elected to depart runway 9. I began taxiing out taxiway east and came to a red row of lights across the taxiway. I was confused because I knew that was not the end of the runway. I assumed that it was the ILS hold short line and since the WX was VMC; I could continue to taxi to the end of the runway. It was just before sunrise and very dark so I didn't see the sign by the ILS hold line at E1 until I had turned back onto taxiway east that the taxiway was closed until the tower opened at XB00. The tower controller must have observed my dilemma and turned off the ILS hold line and turned on the taxiway lights west of E1 so we could continue our taxi. We took off at XA59 just prior to the tower opening. It was my first time departing sav prior to the tower being open and my first experience with an ILS hold line with a closed taxiway during the hours where the tower was not in operation. Once I realized I had made an error; I immediately stopped; and continued only after the taxiway lights had turned on. I contribute my error to fatigue and lack of familiarity with the non-tower operation. After later review of the airport diagram; I saw the note in regard to the taxiway. I believe I overlooked the note due to the fine print and poor lighting; factoring in the fatigue caused by the brevity of the overnight. Although the rest was legal; I don't think it was sufficient considering the length of duty days previously for safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL600 CREW REPORTS NOT BEING AWARE OF TAXIWAY CLOSURE WHEN TOWER IS NOT OPERATING.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT. WE HAD A REDUCED REST OVERNIGHT IN SAV WITH AN XA05 RPT TIME AND AN XA50 DEP. THE TWR IN SAV DID NOT OPEN UNTIL XB00. WE RECEIVED OUR CLRNC FROM ZJX AND ELECTED TO DEPART RWY 9. I BEGAN TAXIING OUT TXWY E AND CAME TO A RED ROW OF LIGHTS ACROSS THE TXWY. I WAS CONFUSED BECAUSE I KNEW THAT WAS NOT THE END OF THE RWY. I ASSUMED THAT IT WAS THE ILS HOLD SHORT LINE AND SINCE THE WX WAS VMC; I COULD CONTINUE TO TAXI TO THE END OF THE RWY. IT WAS JUST BEFORE SUNRISE AND VERY DARK SO I DIDN'T SEE THE SIGN BY THE ILS HOLD LINE AT E1 UNTIL I HAD TURNED BACK ONTO TXWY E THAT THE TXWY WAS CLOSED UNTIL THE TWR OPENED AT XB00. THE TWR CTLR MUST HAVE OBSERVED MY DILEMMA AND TURNED OFF THE ILS HOLD LINE AND TURNED ON THE TXWY LIGHTS W OF E1 SO WE COULD CONTINUE OUR TAXI. WE TOOK OFF AT XA59 JUST PRIOR TO THE TWR OPENING. IT WAS MY FIRST TIME DEPARTING SAV PRIOR TO THE TWR BEING OPEN AND MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH AN ILS HOLD LINE WITH A CLOSED TXWY DURING THE HRS WHERE THE TWR WAS NOT IN OP. ONCE I REALIZED I HAD MADE AN ERROR; I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED; AND CONTINUED ONLY AFTER THE TXWY LIGHTS HAD TURNED ON. I CONTRIBUTE MY ERROR TO FATIGUE AND LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE NON-TWR OP. AFTER LATER REVIEW OF THE ARPT DIAGRAM; I SAW THE NOTE IN REGARD TO THE TXWY. I BELIEVE I OVERLOOKED THE NOTE DUE TO THE FINE PRINT AND POOR LIGHTING; FACTORING IN THE FATIGUE CAUSED BY THE BREVITY OF THE OVERNIGHT. ALTHOUGH THE REST WAS LEGAL; I DON'T THINK IT WAS SUFFICIENT CONSIDERING THE LENGTH OF DUTY DAYS PREVIOUSLY FOR SAFETY.

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.