Narrative:

During taxi out to runway 36R at dfw in twilight conditions, #1 gauge went to zero. While trying to regain use of gauge and while first officer was completing before takeoff checklist, I inadvertently taxied past turnoff to 36R and entered narrow, 50' wide taxiway leading to a vehicular access road. Called dfw tower and ramp control for tug assist back to 36R. Company maintenance crew arrived without tug 25 mins late. Maintenance supervisor recommended maneuvering aircraft with a combination of forward thrust, reverse thrust and 3 hard turns to position aircraft for taxi back to 36R. In the interest of time, I concurred. The turnaround was accomplished without incident. The left engine was shutdown and inspected. Finding no obvious malfunctions, the engine was restarted, #1 was now working properly. After completing all appropriate checklists, we proceeded back to runway 36R where we were cleared for takeoff and completed the trip without further incident. Prominent 'jets do not enter' sign at entrance of narrow taxiway would help prevent recurrence of this episode. Supplemental information from acn 112573: this situation was complicated by my duties as first officer running the checklist (before takeoff check) and the low light conditions associated with twilight. Also the taxiway was an extension of the normal parallel taxiway to enter the run-up ramp and was not clearly marked, especially in the low light conditions before normal taxiway lighting becomes clearly visible. A more clearly marked area at the south end of runway 36R at dfw would save someone else this embarrassment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG AT DFW ARPT TAXIING TO 36R INADVERTENTLY TAXIED BEY0ND THE HOLD AND RUNUP POINT AND ENTERED A NARROW ROADWAY DESIGNED ONLY FOR ARPT VEHICLES. ACFT MANAGED TO TURN AROUND BY USE OF REVERSING, ETC WITH GND MAINTENANCE DIRECTIVE ASSISTANCE.

Narrative: DURING TAXI OUT TO RWY 36R AT DFW IN TWILIGHT CONDITIONS, #1 GAUGE WENT TO ZERO. WHILE TRYING TO REGAIN USE OF GAUGE AND WHILE F/O WAS COMPLETING BEFORE TKOF CHECKLIST, I INADVERTENTLY TAXIED PAST TURNOFF TO 36R AND ENTERED NARROW, 50' WIDE TXWY LEADING TO A VEHICULAR ACCESS ROAD. CALLED DFW TWR AND RAMP CTL FOR TUG ASSIST BACK TO 36R. COMPANY MAINT CREW ARRIVED WITHOUT TUG 25 MINS LATE. MAINT SUPVR RECOMMENDED MANEUVERING ACFT WITH A COMBINATION OF FORWARD THRUST, REVERSE THRUST AND 3 HARD TURNS TO POSITION ACFT FOR TAXI BACK TO 36R. IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I CONCURRED. THE TURNAROUND WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE LEFT ENGINE WAS SHUTDOWN AND INSPECTED. FINDING NO OBVIOUS MALFUNCTIONS, THE ENGINE WAS RESTARTED, #1 WAS NOW WORKING PROPERLY. AFTER COMPLETING ALL APPROPRIATE CHECKLISTS, WE PROCEEDED BACK TO RWY 36R WHERE WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF AND COMPLETED THE TRIP WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. PROMINENT 'JETS DO NOT ENTER' SIGN AT ENTRANCE OF NARROW TXWY WOULD HELP PREVENT RECURRENCE OF THIS EPISODE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 112573: THIS SITUATION WAS COMPLICATED BY MY DUTIES AS F/O RUNNING THE CHECKLIST (BEFORE TKOF CHECK) AND THE LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH TWILIGHT. ALSO THE TXWY WAS AN EXTENSION OF THE NORMAL PARALLEL TXWY TO ENTER THE RUN-UP RAMP AND WAS NOT CLEARLY MARKED, ESPECIALLY IN THE LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS BEFORE NORMAL TXWY LIGHTING BECOMES CLEARLY VISIBLE. A MORE CLEARLY MARKED AREA AT THE SOUTH END OF RWY 36R AT DFW WOULD SAVE SOMEONE ELSE THIS EMBARRASSMENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.