Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 74.4; Flight Crew Total 356.5; Flight Crew Type 138.8
Confusion; Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Incursion Runway
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Airport
This was my first trip to the North Las Vegas Airport and I had requested progressive taxi instructions upon arrival the prior day and again for my departure on the day of the incident. I was assisted to the engine runup area near Runway 7 (RWY 7 RUNUP AREA as labeled on the VGT Airport Diagram). After engine runup; I left the runup area and proceeded around another aircraft that was in the runup area and then onto Taxiway Gulf as instructed. While making sure my left wing stayed clear of the aircraft still in the runup area; I proceeded to Taxiway Gulf. I stayed looking at my clearance from the aircraft in the runup area too long; because when I returned to looking towards Taxiway G for the hold short line; I realized that I was already on it. The nose of my aircraft from the front windshield forward to the propeller had crossed the hold short line. I immediately called the Tower and ask for guidance only to realize that I was still on Ground Control's frequency. Ground Control had me switch to Tower immediately where they had me pull through to the run up area between Runway 7 and 12R and then call the Tower on a land line.The cause of the problem was a combination of lack of familiarity with the airport's hold short lines and fatigue from insufficient sleep due to being in Las Vegas; NV. I was up until almost midnight and then got up for an early departure.In the future; the key to preventing incidents like this are to: 1. Increase my level of rest before flying. As we all know; fatigue is very dangerous in the high demand environment of aviation. 2. Avoid fixation on any one task to keep greater situational awareness. By temporarily focusing on my clearance from another aircraft; I did not fully grasp the already unfamiliar environment in which I was operating. 3. I must increase my familiarity with airports prior to arrival or departure. I had reviewed the Airport Diagram prior to arrival and departure; but clearly did not realize the position of the hold short lines. If I had leveraged a tool like Google Maps; I could have had a heightened awareness of the airport hold short markings. Of course; it is important to realize that Google Maps can be several years old; but it may have made me more aware that the hold short lines were adjacent to the runup area.
When a PA-28 pilot concentrated excessively on clearance from another aircraft when exiting the runup area for Runway 07 at VGT it unwittingly crossed the hold short lines for the runway. ATC cleared him to cross and then discussed the trangression with the pilot prior to takeoff. The reporter believed lack of sleep due to being in Las Vegas over night was a contributing factor.