Narrative:

At approximately PM45 CST, flight received clearance from houston hobby ground control to 'taxi to 12R, hold short of 12L on east.' the aircraft proceeded to the point where taxiway east joins the ramp area. It was noted that this area is the site of extensive construction with minimal taxiway lighting in operation. The aircraft missed the lead in line to taxiway east and proceeded in a northerly direction parallel to the west side of concourse C and then made a left turn onto an access taxiway which dead-ended into a ramp and a corporate hangar. The aircraft promptly stopped wbound on this taxiway and a transmission was made to ground indicating that the aircraft had made an inadvertent turn and may be in need of assistance. Ground responded by asking if we could make a 180 degree turn. It was determined that the apron area next to the hangar provided sufficient clearance and a tight 180 degree turn was accomplished. Normal taxi with clearance from ground control occurred and a normal takeoff on 12R was executed. After landing, the flight crew was informed of possible damage to hangar doors at the site of the 180 degree turn. This problem occurred because taxiway lead in lines were missed and not followed. Contributing factors include the lack of visibility at night. The rather broad area where taxiway east joins the ramp has extremely poor markings and poor lighting due to construction on site, and a failure by the crew to question their actions more strenuously when 'the taxiway just didn't look right.' corrective actions include a recommendation that taxiway markings in the large area where east joins the ramp be improved to avoid confusion, especially at night. Specifically in this case, the crew should have requested that the aircraft be towed once it had stopped on the access taxiway or in lieu of towing, started the second engine to assist in making a 180 degree turn. (Normal company procedure is single engine taxi.)

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG GOT LOST IN THE CONSTRUCTION AT HOU AT NIGHT.

Narrative: AT APPROX PM45 CST, FLT RECEIVED CLRNC FROM HOUSTON HOBBY GND CTL TO 'TAXI TO 12R, HOLD SHORT OF 12L ON E.' THE ACFT PROCEEDED TO THE POINT WHERE TXWY E JOINS THE RAMP AREA. IT WAS NOTED THAT THIS AREA IS THE SITE OF EXTENSIVE CONSTRUCTION WITH MINIMAL TXWY LIGHTING IN OP. THE ACFT MISSED THE LEAD IN LINE TO TXWY E AND PROCEEDED IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION PARALLEL TO THE W SIDE OF CONCOURSE C AND THEN MADE A L TURN ONTO AN ACCESS TXWY WHICH DEAD-ENDED INTO A RAMP AND A CORPORATE HANGAR. THE ACFT PROMPTLY STOPPED WBOUND ON THIS TXWY AND A XMISSION WAS MADE TO GND INDICATING THAT THE ACFT HAD MADE AN INADVERTENT TURN AND MAY BE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE. GND RESPONDED BY ASKING IF WE COULD MAKE A 180 DEG TURN. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE APRON AREA NEXT TO THE HANGAR PROVIDED SUFFICIENT CLRNC AND A TIGHT 180 DEG TURN WAS ACCOMPLISHED. NORMAL TAXI WITH CLRNC FROM GND CTL OCCURRED AND A NORMAL TKOF ON 12R WAS EXECUTED. AFTER LNDG, THE FLC WAS INFORMED OF POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO HANGAR DOORS AT THE SITE OF THE 180 DEG TURN. THIS PROB OCCURRED BECAUSE TXWY LEAD IN LINES WERE MISSED AND NOT FOLLOWED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE THE LACK OF VISIBILITY AT NIGHT. THE RATHER BROAD AREA WHERE TXWY E JOINS THE RAMP HAS EXTREMELY POOR MARKINGS AND POOR LIGHTING DUE TO CONSTRUCTION ON SITE, AND A FAILURE BY THE CREW TO QUESTION THEIR ACTIONS MORE STRENUOUSLY WHEN 'THE TXWY JUST DIDN'T LOOK RIGHT.' CORRECTIVE ACTIONS INCLUDE A RECOMMENDATION THAT TXWY MARKINGS IN THE LARGE AREA WHERE E JOINS THE RAMP BE IMPROVED TO AVOID CONFUSION, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. SPECIFICALLY IN THIS CASE, THE CREW SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED THAT THE ACFT BE TOWED ONCE IT HAD STOPPED ON THE ACCESS TXWY OR IN LIEU OF TOWING, STARTED THE SECOND ENG TO ASSIST IN MAKING A 180 DEG TURN. (NORMAL COMPANY PROC IS SINGLE ENG TAXI.)

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.