Medium Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 175; Flight Crew Total 11395; Flight Crew Type 4500
Communication Breakdown; Distraction; Workload; Situational Awareness; Confusion
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Ground Incursion Runway
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airport; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
We were under time pressure to depart HNL. We had been in contact with the Tower; Clearance; and Ground Controllers to assure our planned departure time would allow our departure without any undue security delays. Our last discussion in this regard took place with Ground Control when we were told we needed to expedite if we were to be able to depart. We hurried to load our passengers and baggage; start engines; and prepare to taxi. We had worked out a plan with Ground Control to plan an 8L departure from Intersection G. After engine start we contacted Ground for taxi; and were instructed to plan 8L from G; and our route would be C to E; across Runways 4R; and 4L; and then left on B to Intersection G for our 8L departure. We were also told to hold short of 4R at E. We began our taxi; and were told to monitor Tower. We reached E at 4R quickly; and after a short delay; were told by Tower to cross Runways 4R; and 4L; then join B to G; and hold short of 8L. Once taxiing was resumed I was head down in the cockpit; running the taxi/before take-off checklist; when I heard an airliner cleared for take-off on 8L; and virtually concurrent with that instruction was a takeoff clearance cancellation; and the Tower telling us we had missed the turn onto B. The Captain had realized our position mistake; and had stopped the airplane; but we had crossed the hold short lines; at which point he asked if we were on the runway. I looked up; and realized as did the Captain; we had crossed the hold short lines; which now head up; and aware of the situation; came to realize the markings on the runways; taxiways; and even the hold short line for the runway; are very poorly marked; and very poorly lit. This particular area of the airport seems to be a very confusing array of taxiways; runways; and other service roads; lacking quality marking we commonly see at other major airports. After crossing the runway; and continuing our taxi on A; now to hold short of G; we were given a phone number for HCF Control; for a possible pilot deviation. All things stacked on top of each other; night; time pressures of trying to leave the airport expeditiously; lack of familiarity of the given taxi route; poor lighting; and signage; at this particular hot spot; along with only one pilot head up; all were contributing factors to this incident. Certainly wag lights at this hold short position on 8L would have mitigated this incident; or even a much more clearly marked; and lighted taxi pathway would have assisted in avoiding the incident. Lastly the use of ground transponder was a great aid to avoid a far worse outcome to this incident.
A corporate aircraft expediting taxi for night takeoff incurred HNL Runway 8L at Taxiway E as the First Officer was heads down and the Captain confused by the signage.