Narrative:

I was given a clearance to taxi from the GA ramp to runway 14L at 'Y' intersection for an intersection departure. When I was #1 in line I contacted oma tower for a takeoff clearance. About that same time an air carrier B757 departed the parallel runway 14R; and because of the wake turbulence avoidance time the tower controller decided he would taxi me full length to eat up the wait period. I was given a clearance to back taxi on runway 14L and make a left turn at taxiway F and then a right turn on taxiway south to rejoin runway 14L at the end. Taxiway F is a taxiway that parallels runway 18 which was closed at the time of this operation. The angle at which runway 14L and taxiway F intersect is so great that you actually have to turn an airplane all the way around to join it. There are no signs for taxiway F when you are on runway 14L only when you are on taxiway F and it crosses runway 14L and since the angle is so large you only see the sides of the signs; not the front of them. I missed taxiway F and was informed by the tower controller. I apologized to him and he told me I could take taxiway K instead. The confusion of no signs in the right places and the fact it was very early in the morning and still dark played a large factor in me missing the correct taxiway. I think the controller should have let me know about such a large unusual turn; or have a sign at that particular intersection when you are on runway 14L facing northwest (back taxiing) that can be seen from the runway. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that it was dark at the time but he had the airport diagram in front of him and he was looking for the taxiway. He has no recollection of a taxiway 'F' sign off of runway 32R either right to the north or for the acute left to the south. No yellow lead out or turn lines were painted on the runway for taxiway left.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PILOT AT OMA REPORTS NO TXWY SIGNS EXIST ON RWY 32R TO IDENTIFY A LEFT TURN ONTO TXWY F.

Narrative: I WAS GIVEN A CLRNC TO TAXI FROM THE GA RAMP TO RWY 14L AT 'Y' INTXN FOR AN INTXN DEP. WHEN I WAS #1 IN LINE I CONTACTED OMA TWR FOR A TKOF CLRNC. ABOUT THAT SAME TIME AN ACR B757 DEPARTED THE PARALLEL RWY 14R; AND BECAUSE OF THE WAKE TURB AVOIDANCE TIME THE TWR CTLR DECIDED HE WOULD TAXI ME FULL LENGTH TO EAT UP THE WAIT PERIOD. I WAS GIVEN A CLRNC TO BACK TAXI ON RWY 14L AND MAKE A L TURN AT TXWY F AND THEN A R TURN ON TXWY S TO REJOIN RWY 14L AT THE END. TXWY F IS A TXWY THAT PARALLELS RWY 18 WHICH WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME OF THIS OP. THE ANGLE AT WHICH RWY 14L AND TXWY F INTERSECT IS SO GREAT THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO TURN AN AIRPLANE ALL THE WAY AROUND TO JOIN IT. THERE ARE NO SIGNS FOR TXWY F WHEN YOU ARE ON RWY 14L ONLY WHEN YOU ARE ON TXWY F AND IT CROSSES RWY 14L AND SINCE THE ANGLE IS SO LARGE YOU ONLY SEE THE SIDES OF THE SIGNS; NOT THE FRONT OF THEM. I MISSED TXWY F AND WAS INFORMED BY THE TWR CTLR. I APOLOGIZED TO HIM AND HE TOLD ME I COULD TAKE TXWY K INSTEAD. THE CONFUSION OF NO SIGNS IN THE RIGHT PLACES AND THE FACT IT WAS VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING AND STILL DARK PLAYED A LARGE FACTOR IN ME MISSING THE CORRECT TXWY. I THINK THE CTLR SHOULD HAVE LET ME KNOW ABOUT SUCH A LARGE UNUSUAL TURN; OR HAVE A SIGN AT THAT PARTICULAR INTXN WHEN YOU ARE ON RWY 14L FACING NW (BACK TAXIING) THAT CAN BE SEEN FROM THE RWY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT IT WAS DARK AT THE TIME BUT HE HAD THE ARPT DIAGRAM IN FRONT OF HIM AND HE WAS LOOKING FOR THE TXWY. HE HAS NO RECOLLECTION OF A TXWY 'F' SIGN OFF OF RWY 32R EITHER RIGHT TO THE NORTH OR FOR THE ACUTE LEFT TO THE SOUTH. NO YELLOW LEAD OUT OR TURN LINES WERE PAINTED ON THE RWY FOR TXWY L.

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.