Narrative:

Visual approach landing dfw 35R, taxied off runway ni, assigned 27 to 'K', north on 'K' to 18. Requested progressive, unfamiliar with airport. Controller handling both air and ground. On taxiway 'K' again requested progressive. No blue taxiway edge lighting on 'K' or 18/19, centerline lights only. Controller said, 'taxiway ahead in 18' but what appeared to be a taxiway was a perimeter road. Taxied off taxiway north end, no blue lights and some obstruction flashing lights at a hole just off the north end of taxiway 'K' were not lit. Taxied just off end of taxiway before able to stop. No damage, towed aircraft back onto taxiway. Taxied in to parking. Had aircraft inspected before next flight. Centerline taxiway lighting is not adequate without blue taxiway edge lights. When approaching a taxiway at a 90 degree angle (left) cannot see adjacent taxiway until almost in line with it. Controller apparently could not southeast taxiway either, hence the misinfo. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states centerline lights are great if you situation up high. But lower aircraft have to be almost abeam the turn of lights to see a 90 degree change of direction. The area at 19/18 is a solid paved area so at night one cannot tell where taxiway actually turns. Add to that controller statement 'taxiway ahead is 18' so reporter looked ahead, saw dark area and taxied. He feels there will probably be no action due to flashers not being on or flashing. If aircraft had been a foot more to the side it would have been disastrous. As it was, no damage. Really need blue edge lights!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA TAXIES OFF TAXIWAY DUE LIGHTING PROBLEM.

Narrative: VISUAL APCH LNDG DFW 35R, TAXIED OFF RWY NI, ASSIGNED 27 TO 'K', N ON 'K' TO 18. REQUESTED PROGRESSIVE, UNFAMILIAR WITH ARPT. CTLR HANDLING BOTH AIR AND GND. ON TAXIWAY 'K' AGAIN REQUESTED PROGRESSIVE. NO BLUE TAXIWAY EDGE LIGHTING ON 'K' OR 18/19, CTRLINE LIGHTS ONLY. CTLR SAID, 'TAXIWAY AHEAD IN 18' BUT WHAT APPEARED TO BE A TAXIWAY WAS A PERIMETER ROAD. TAXIED OFF TAXIWAY N END, NO BLUE LIGHTS AND SOME OBSTRUCTION FLASHING LIGHTS AT A HOLE JUST OFF THE N END OF TAXIWAY 'K' WERE NOT LIT. TAXIED JUST OFF END OF TAXIWAY BEFORE ABLE TO STOP. NO DAMAGE, TOWED ACFT BACK ONTO TAXIWAY. TAXIED IN TO PARKING. HAD ACFT INSPECTED BEFORE NEXT FLT. CTRLINE TAXIWAY LIGHTING IS NOT ADEQUATE WITHOUT BLUE TAXIWAY EDGE LIGHTS. WHEN APCHING A TAXIWAY AT A 90 DEG ANGLE (L) CANNOT SEE ADJACENT TAXIWAY UNTIL ALMOST IN LINE WITH IT. CTLR APPARENTLY COULD NOT SE TAXIWAY EITHER, HENCE THE MISINFO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES CTRLINE LIGHTS ARE GREAT IF YOU SIT UP HIGH. BUT LOWER ACFT HAVE TO BE ALMOST ABEAM THE TURN OF LIGHTS TO SEE A 90 DEG CHANGE OF DIRECTION. THE AREA AT 19/18 IS A SOLID PAVED AREA SO AT NIGHT ONE CANNOT TELL WHERE TAXIWAY ACTUALLY TURNS. ADD TO THAT CTLR STATEMENT 'TAXIWAY AHEAD IS 18' SO RPTR LOOKED AHEAD, SAW DARK AREA AND TAXIED. HE FEELS THERE WILL PROBABLY BE NO ACTION DUE TO FLASHERS NOT BEING ON OR FLASHING. IF ACFT HAD BEEN A FOOT MORE TO THE SIDE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. AS IT WAS, NO DAMAGE. REALLY NEED BLUE EDGE LIGHTS!

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.