Small Transport
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100; Flight Crew Total 4100; Flight Crew Type 250
Confusion; Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Ground Incursion Runway
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airport; Chart Or Publication; Human Factors
I was given taxi instructions from Ground Control. I was not familiar with the airport and had misread the diagram and accidentally looked at an intersection just off of the ramp and thought it was the entrance to the taxiway. With this idea in my head I missed that this was the entrance to the runway and for whatever reason didn't see the runway sign. I taxied out over the runway sign and started to taxi onto the runway. Once I was nearly out where I noticed that the markings were runway markings and not taxiway markings. I immediately did a 180 and got off the runway and back onto the taxiway where I was supposed to be. Ground never said anything about it; but knowing I made a mistake I figured I better turn in a NASA report. I am very sorry for my mistake and will make sure to pay closer attention in the future.
The Reporter stated that the aircraft was taxied from the GA Ramp directly to BIL Taxiway C across Taxiway A and onto Runway 28R. Because the taxiway appeared to be part of the ramp and some distance from the runway; the hold short lines were recognized as taxiway markings not hold short markings. ATC did not say anything about the runway incursion.
A corporate pilot taxied onto a runway because the taxiway marking near the ramp was not recognized as the hold short line and only after seeing the runway markings was the error recognized.