A private pilot taxied across the approach end of apc runway 36L with an aircraft of short final bec...

Narrative:

Taxied past hold short into oncoming aircraft that was on final to runway 36L at napa airport without clearance from tower. Aircraft on final landed without incident. I was on my first flight with wife as a newly certified private pilot (1 week). I was a little nervous when landing and became slightly disoriented when coming into land. I was not familiar with the airport layout and taxied according to instructions from ground control. There were high weeds along the taxiway and faded paint to the hold short. I taxied right past the hold short and couldn't see the runway sign until already past the hold short. In retrospect I should have stopped after landing and collected my thoughts I should have taken out the airport facility directory and slowly taxied. Also; with weeds causing obstructions I should have stopped and called ground control for specific guidance to the hold short. I will be much more careful and have airport layout open in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A private pilot taxied across the approach end of APC Runway 36L with an aircraft of short final because he did not see the runway sign; stating weeds and the faded hold short lines were contributory.

Narrative: Taxied past hold short into oncoming aircraft that was on final to Runway 36L at Napa airport without clearance from Tower. Aircraft on final landed without incident. I was on my first flight with wife as a newly certified private pilot (1 week). I was a little nervous when landing and became slightly disoriented when coming into land. I was not familiar with the airport layout and taxied according to instructions from Ground Control. There were high weeds along the taxiway and faded paint to the hold short. I taxied right past the hold short and couldn't see the runway sign until already past the hold short. In retrospect I should have stopped after landing and collected my thoughts I should have taken out the airport facility directory and slowly taxied. Also; with weeds causing obstructions I should have stopped and called Ground Control for specific guidance to the hold short. I will be much more careful and have airport layout open in the future.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	947614
Time
Date	201104
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	APC.Airport
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft High Wing 1 Eng Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Function	Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Private
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 37 Flight Crew Total 71 Flight Crew Type 71
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural Clearance Ground Incursion Runway

A private pilot taxied across the approach end of apc runway 36L with an aircraft of short final because he did not see the runway sign; stating weeds and the faded hold short lines were contributory.