Narrative:

Because of a maintenance delay at msp we were late into dtw. We asked tower for permission to rollout to oscar 9 (landing 3L), it was approved. As we cleared 3L on oscar 9, the first officer went off the radio to talk to company ramp control, we retracted the flaps and did our after landing flow pattern items. At the same time ground cleared us into the gate. Another large transport was turning right off the outer to park at xx. I followed him, mistaking 5 concourse for alleyway, I stopped. After I stopped, the first officer also realized where we were. Company ramp control called and asked if we could turn around, there appeared to be enough room. A mechanic and a ramp person gave us signals to turn around and taxi back to the inner, then we went to the gate. After parking I found out some damage had been done to some ramp equipment by our jet blast. In retrospect: the first officer and I were busy after clearing 3L. A combination of ground clearing to the gate and the other large transport turning into the alleyway contributed to my going into the wrong alleyway. When ramp called and asked if we could turn around, then we were marshalled out, that appeared a satisfactory solution. A better course of action would have been to shut down and be towed out.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ENTERS WRONG CONCOURSE, TURNS AROUND CAUSING JET BLAST DAMAGE TO RAMP EQUIP.

Narrative: BECAUSE OF A MAINT DELAY AT MSP WE WERE LATE INTO DTW. WE ASKED TWR FOR PERMISSION TO ROLLOUT TO OSCAR 9 (LNDG 3L), IT WAS APPROVED. AS WE CLRED 3L ON OSCAR 9, THE FO WENT OFF THE RADIO TO TALK TO COMPANY RAMP CTL, WE RETRACTED THE FLAPS AND DID OUR AFTER LNDG FLOW PATTERN ITEMS. AT THE SAME TIME GND CLRED US INTO THE GATE. ANOTHER LGT WAS TURNING R OFF THE OUTER TO PARK AT XX. I FOLLOWED HIM, MISTAKING 5 CONCOURSE FOR ALLEYWAY, I STOPPED. AFTER I STOPPED, THE FO ALSO REALIZED WHERE WE WERE. COMPANY RAMP CTL CALLED AND ASKED IF WE COULD TURN AROUND, THERE APPEARED TO BE ENOUGH ROOM. A MECH AND A RAMP PERSON GAVE US SIGNALS TO TURN AROUND AND TAXI BACK TO THE INNER, THEN WE WENT TO THE GATE. AFTER PARKING I FOUND OUT SOME DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE TO SOME RAMP EQUIP BY OUR JET BLAST. IN RETROSPECT: THE FO AND I WERE BUSY AFTER CLRING 3L. A COMBINATION OF GND CLRING TO THE GATE AND THE OTHER LGT TURNING INTO THE ALLEYWAY CONTRIBUTED TO MY GOING INTO THE WRONG ALLEYWAY. WHEN RAMP CALLED AND ASKED IF WE COULD TURN AROUND, THEN WE WERE MARSHALLED OUT, THAT APPEARED A SATISFACTORY SOLUTION. A BETTER COURSE OF ACTION WOULD HAVE BEEN TO SHUT DOWN AND BE TOWED OUT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.