Taxied onto active runway when misidentified parallel taxiway.

Attributes
ACN	92462
Time
Date	198808
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bna
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 2000
ASRS Report	92462
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

After clearance from bna ground to taxi to runway 20L, I turned onto the runway from taxiway E2. I was parked on the wide ramp area adjacent to taxiway E2 in an area unfamiliar to me. I had landed 1 hour earlier on runway 20L, exited on a taxiway (E3), then onto a parallel taxiway, then to the ramp at what used to be FBO. I then taxied down the same ramp to xyz FBO. I failed to observe that the parallel taxiway echo became part of the ramp area. When I was cleared to taxi to runway 20L I thought I was taxiing back onto the parallel taxiway echo and turned onto the runway 20L. The ground controller and I discovered the mistake at the same time. He told me to proceed to the next taxiway (E3) and exit, rather than turn around on the runway. I feel that the signs to the runway and at taxiway E2 are not clearly marked. There should be a marker at that point or area pointing to taxiway echo. No other aircraft were involved and the error was caught immediately.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TAXIED ONTO ACTIVE RWY WHEN MISIDENTIFIED PARALLEL TXWY.

Narrative: AFTER CLRNC FROM BNA GND TO TAXI TO RWY 20L, I TURNED ONTO THE RWY FROM TXWY E2. I WAS PARKED ON THE WIDE RAMP AREA ADJACENT TO TXWY E2 IN AN AREA UNFAMILIAR TO ME. I HAD LANDED 1 HR EARLIER ON RWY 20L, EXITED ON A TXWY (E3), THEN ONTO A PARALLEL TXWY, THEN TO THE RAMP AT WHAT USED TO BE FBO. I THEN TAXIED DOWN THE SAME RAMP TO XYZ FBO. I FAILED TO OBSERVE THAT THE PARALLEL TXWY ECHO BECAME PART OF THE RAMP AREA. WHEN I WAS CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 20L I THOUGHT I WAS TAXIING BACK ONTO THE PARALLEL TXWY ECHO AND TURNED ONTO THE RWY 20L. THE GND CTLR AND I DISCOVERED THE MISTAKE AT THE SAME TIME. HE TOLD ME TO PROCEED TO THE NEXT TXWY (E3) AND EXIT, RATHER THAN TURN AROUND ON THE RWY. I FEEL THAT THE SIGNS TO THE RWY AND AT TXWY E2 ARE NOT CLEARLY MARKED. THERE SHOULD BE A MARKER AT THAT POINT OR AREA POINTING TO TXWY ECHO. NO OTHER ACFT WERE INVOLVED AND THE ERROR WAS CAUGHT IMMEDIATELY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.