Date: 201411
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: PHL.Airport, PA
Light: Night
Aircraft: Large Transport
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Taxi
ATC / advisory: Ground PHL
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Ground
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Confusion
Second reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Flying
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Incursion Runway
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: Taxi
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Contributing factors: Airport; Human Factors
Primary problem: Airport

Narrative: I had just taken and split the position with another controller who had previously had both grounds combined. The push was just getting started and I had a few opposite direction conflicts to work out; involving traffic in and out of the GA ramp at the northeast part of the airport. Aircraft X was one of several aircraft I asked to standby at their outbound spots because I had numerous runway crossings to coordinate. I then went back and started taxiing aircraft; including Aircraft X. I recall hearing; and later confirmed from playback a good read-back of the instructions to taxi 'Runway 27 Left via Hotel and Echo; hold short Runway 27 Right.' I went back to planning and resolving my arrival/departure traffic from the GA ramp; and accomplishing runway crossings. I was alerted by the Ground West controller of something wrong when he asked; 'What's Aircraft X doing?' Looking at the ASDE-X I could see that Aircraft X had turned left out of Hotel and taken Echo 4 across Runway 35; joining Delta 4. I advised Aircraft X that they had taken a wrong turn and crossed a runway and began working out the now increasingly complex set of conflicts presented by their deviation. Aircraft X continued taxi to Runway 27 left without much further incident.What's odd about this incursion is that it happened at what has long been a hotspot for PHL; the Hotel/Echo intersection; but in a way that I've never heard of or seen before. Taxiway Hotel east of Echo and crossing Runway 35 is currently closed precisely because aircraft leaving spots XX and XY sometimes fail to make the right turn onto Echo and instead continue straight on Hotel and across Runway 35. But Aircraft X; in order to have this incursion; had to make a hard left off of Hotel; onto Echo 4; and took that across Runway 35; a scenario that I would not have considered very likely prior to this event. I can only speculate on why Aircraft X mistakenly turned left instead of what seems like the obvious correct choice to turn right onto Echo; joined the wrong taxiway (echo 4 instead of echo) and crossed a runway. But the intersection occasionally still gives pilots trouble; in spite of or perhaps because of the taxiway closure. In fact later in that same push; a 757 stopped on Hotel short of Echo and requested confirmation of his instructions to turn right on Echo. He seemed confused at first but quickly figured it out. I've never seen the Hotel/Echo/Echo 4 intersection from ground level at night but judging from the close proximity of all the taxiways and runways; I'd imagine it's a confusing sight to an unfamiliar pilot. Maybe the blinking barrier lights showing the closed portion of Hotel make this situation worse? Without getting more detail from the pilots; I can only speculate. In the future; I'd consider specifying 'Hotel; turn RIGHT on Echo; hold short;' to avoid what seems like a very unlikely error by the pilot.


Second narrative: Aircraft X cleared to spot XX. Ground then cleared us to taxi via H; E; hold short Rwy 27R.  Captain proceeded to taxi via H and turned left onto E4; I was looking down to figure out taxi directions. At the time I looked up; we were holding short of Rwy 35. I stated to Captain 'We are not to cross this runway' (my exact words) and looked down again onto my iPad to figure the next taxi instructions steps. Before I realized what had happened the Captain had already began to cross Rwy 35. We were passed the point of no return; ending up at D4. Our new set of instructions was to turn right on taxiway D and hold short of G; which we were right on so we could not hold short of G. We were immediately told to hold short of A.We then were told to turn left on Rwy 26; make a 180 degree turn and go north on D; backtracking our route and immediately controller changed his mind and told us to continue on D; cross Rwy 26 and hold short of Rwy 27R at D. Next instructions were: Cross Rwy 27R then right on S; short of 35 and finally cross Rwy 35 at S.  We were told to monitor tower and then given a phone number to copy (PHL tower).  Flight left PHL without any further issues and a safe landing was accomplished at destination.  After I landed; and when parked at the gate and done with our flight duties; the Captain called PHL tower and spoke to one of the controllers.


Synopsis: PHL Controller and pilots report of a runway incursion caused by possibly bad lighting on the taxiways and runway.