Pilot of large transport moving into parking area on ramp ran wheel over a taxiway light.

Attributes
ACN	120844
Time
Date	198908
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cmi
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	120844
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Place: champaign, il. After a non eventful landing runway 32L, taxiing in on the northwest taxiway, crossing runway 22R, all taxi lights as well as ramp lights were out. Upon taxiing into the ramp area with aircraft lights on, the aircraft was pointed toward the taxi director so I turned my lights off so as not to blind him. Looking towards the terminal and taxi director was very difficult due to numerous flood lights shining out on the ramp. Proceeding towards the terminal a parked air taxi aircraft appeared to be too close so I made a slight right turn to avoid him. At that point my aircraft felt as though it were on soft asphalt. Power was added to keep rolling and taxied into parking area. I was informed after we were parked that the right main gear rolled through a grass area striking one taxi light. No damage was done to the aircraft. Ramp lights being out and flood lights shining out on ramp area were both contributing factors in misjudging ramp area available.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF LGT MOVING INTO PARKING AREA ON RAMP RAN WHEEL OVER A TXWY LIGHT.

Narrative: PLACE: CHAMPAIGN, IL. AFTER A NON EVENTFUL LNDG RWY 32L, TAXIING IN ON THE NW TXWY, XING RWY 22R, ALL TAXI LIGHTS AS WELL AS RAMP LIGHTS WERE OUT. UPON TAXIING INTO THE RAMP AREA WITH ACFT LIGHTS ON, THE ACFT WAS POINTED TOWARD THE TAXI DIRECTOR SO I TURNED MY LIGHTS OFF SO AS NOT TO BLIND HIM. LOOKING TOWARDS THE TERMINAL AND TAXI DIRECTOR WAS VERY DIFFICULT DUE TO NUMEROUS FLOOD LIGHTS SHINING OUT ON THE RAMP. PROCEEDING TOWARDS THE TERMINAL A PARKED AIR TAXI ACFT APPEARED TO BE TOO CLOSE SO I MADE A SLIGHT RIGHT TURN TO AVOID HIM. AT THAT POINT MY ACFT FELT AS THOUGH IT WERE ON SOFT ASPHALT. POWER WAS ADDED TO KEEP ROLLING AND TAXIED INTO PARKING AREA. I WAS INFORMED AFTER WE WERE PARKED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR ROLLED THROUGH A GRASS AREA STRIKING ONE TAXI LIGHT. NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE ACFT. RAMP LIGHTS BEING OUT AND FLOOD LIGHTS SHINING OUT ON RAMP AREA WERE BOTH CONTRIBUTING FACTORS IN MISJUDGING RAMP AREA AVAILABLE.

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.