This is an excerpt from a report made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narrative is written by the pilot, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many details, such as aircraft model or airport, are often scrubbed from the reports.
I sold an aircraft a year ago. I had flown it many years from Charles M Schulz/Sonoma County Airport (KSTS) in Santa Rosa, California, avionics original, steam, used hand-held mic.
I was renting Aircraft X with headset and PTT and Garmin 430. I had about 10 hours renting.
Generally when taxiing to Runway 32 I was told to take Zulu/Alpha to runway. This time I was told taxi 32 via Alpha.
When I was on Alpha and got to Zulu I was confused for a moment and started down Zulu.
I find arrows on signage at the Zulu/Alpha intersection are unclear.
I crossed the limit line that is about 25 yards from the runway. I thought I was cleared to cross to get to the run-up area.
I knew I was not cleared onto the runway and would not have entered without clearance.
I saw Aircraft Y on about a 2-mile final. I was never a threat to Aircraft Y.
Trying to confirm I had made a correct turn, I realized I hadn’t and turned to go back to continue correctly.
Ground called my N number after I was already turning back and I replied “sorry I made a wrong turn.”
Proceeded to run-up and takeoff without incident.
I was told later they told Aircraft Y to go around.
If I was threat to Aircraft Y why didn’t they tell me to stop as I went down Zulu?
Primary Problem: Airport
ACN: 2195859
When you click on the link it will take you to the ASRS Online Database. Click on Report Number and put the ACN in the search box, then click Search. On that page, click on “view only the 1 most recent report.”
“If I was threat to Aircraft Y why didn’t they tell me to stop as I went down Zulu?”
I’m guessing, of course, but maybe “they” were just about to call “you” when you keyed the mic? Maybe it was a single controller working both positions (ground and local). Perhaps they were on Tower freq talking to other traffic while you were monitoring Ground.
The real question is what was your initial taxi clearance ’verbiage’? I’m also assuming you read it back, correctly, or the ground controller wouldn’t have let you move in the first place.
In that case, I agree, sounds like “muscle memory” and ‘expectation bias’ conspired against you.
Signage can be confusing, especially at intersections with funky angles: As already mentioned… that’s why a “Hot Spot” (HS 1) is depicted there. Never hurts to taxi with an airfield diagram, even at your home ‘drone. It also is “no harm, no foul” if you STOP when you realize you’re ‘confused’…and/or ask for progressive taxi instructions.
Interesting case. Maybe he was so accustomed to turning from the inner taxiway (Z) to the outer taxiway (A), that when he was told to taxi via the outer, muscle memory took over at the intersection and turned him from the outer toward the runway. There is a hot spot at that intersection warning of runway entries without approval.
The recommended procedure is to review the route given by ground on an airport diagram before beginning taxi. May seem unnecessary at your home airport but probably would have helped avoid a runway incursion.
If you feel the taxiway guidance signs are confusing, you can submit a request for the FAA to look into it.
Your report may be submitted via:
FAA Hotline Web Form.
Mail: Federal Aviation Administration. Office of Audit and Evaluation. 800 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C. 20591. Attn: AAE-300, Room 911.
Phone: 866-TELL-FAA (866-835-5322)