Air carrier unable to decipher markings for hold area so exit to taxiway.

Attributes
ACN	226932
Time
Date	199211
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
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
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	226932
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Taxiing into gate at lga we were instructed to taxi into zulu alpha hold area. We were unfamiliar and conveyed that fact to ground control. The hold area is unlighted and we turned too soon. We could not see where hold area was supposed to be, so we turned back onto 'I' and proceeded to gate without incident. Lga is very congested. The zulu alpha hold area is unlighted and very confusing at night. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states the hold area is part of solid concrete ramp with painted markings and reflectors, and poor lighting. It was night and raining and very confusing to find one's way. Added problem is a service road that runs through area between parallel taxiway and hold area. This has posts sticking up and when these were seen by flight crew they decided to exit area. Communication with ground control who said ok. They had a wheel on the service road which is part of same ramp area and were concerned they might be on an area not stressed for their aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR UNABLE TO DECIPHER MARKINGS FOR HOLD AREA SO EXIT TO TAXIWAY.

Narrative: TAXIING INTO GATE AT LGA WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TAXI INTO ZULU ALPHA HOLD AREA. WE WERE UNFAMILIAR AND CONVEYED THAT FACT TO GND CTL. THE HOLD AREA IS UNLIGHTED AND WE TURNED TOO SOON. WE COULD NOT SEE WHERE HOLD AREA WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, SO WE TURNED BACK ONTO 'I' AND PROCEEDED TO GATE WITHOUT INCIDENT. LGA IS VERY CONGESTED. THE ZULU ALPHA HOLD AREA IS UNLIGHTED AND VERY CONFUSING AT NIGHT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE HOLD AREA IS PART OF SOLID CONCRETE RAMP WITH PAINTED MARKINGS AND REFLECTORS, AND POOR LIGHTING. IT WAS NIGHT AND RAINING AND VERY CONFUSING TO FIND ONE'S WAY. ADDED PROBLEM IS A SVC ROAD THAT RUNS THROUGH AREA BTWN PARALLEL TAXIWAY AND HOLD AREA. THIS HAS POSTS STICKING UP AND WHEN THESE WERE SEEN BY FLC THEY DECIDED TO EXIT AREA. COM WITH GND CTL WHO SAID OK. THEY HAD A WHEEL ON THE SVC ROAD WHICH IS PART OF SAME RAMP AREA AND WERE CONCERNED THEY MIGHT BE ON AN AREA NOT STRESSED FOR THEIR ACFT.

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.