Narrative:

After landing on runway 35, we were instructed to 'make a 180' on the runway and taxi to the ramp. During the 180 degree turn on the runway, the nose gear left the runway and sank into the dirt approximately 1-2 ft. The minimum runway width to make a 180 degree turn on this aircraft is 132 ft. The runway is 150 ft wide. This gives 18 ft for margin. When I reviewed the departure NOTAMS, I noted that taxiway a was closed. On the descent into houston, I briefed an approach to runway 17 since the wind was reported calm. After arriving in the local area, we were told to expect runway 35. Since I was concentrating on the EFIS, I completely forgot about taxiway a being closed. We made a normal landing and slowed to taxi speed, expecting to turn left at taxiway a. After passing taxiway B, the tower instructed us to make a 180 degree turn and taxi to the ramp. I moved the aircraft as far to the right edge of the runway as I felt comfortable with and began a hard turn to the left. During the turn, the nose gear 'scrubbed' a little, however, since the confines of the runway seemed so close, I kept the nose steering fully deflected. As the turn progressed approximately 160 degrees to 170 degrees of turn, the nose gear left the pavement by approximately 1-2 ft and sank approximately 1-2 ft. We contacted the tower, our operations, and flight control, then shut the airplane down. No damage occurred to the aircraft and it was towed back onto the runway and back to the gate. Tight 180 degree turns are done very infrequently and in this airplane must be done precisely to stay within the 18 ft margin. ATC could also help prevent incidents like this since they knew the taxiway was closed, the wind was calm, and a heavy airplane would more than likely use most of the available runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FGT MISJUDGED THE SIDE OF THE RWY AND GOT ITS NOSE GEAR IN THE MUD TRYING TO TURN AROUND ON THE RWY.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG ON RWY 35, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO 'MAKE A 180' ON THE RWY AND TAXI TO THE RAMP. DURING THE 180 DEG TURN ON THE RWY, THE NOSE GEAR LEFT THE RWY AND SANK INTO THE DIRT APPROX 1-2 FT. THE MINIMUM RWY WIDTH TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN ON THIS ACFT IS 132 FT. THE RWY IS 150 FT WIDE. THIS GIVES 18 FT FOR MARGIN. WHEN I REVIEWED THE DEP NOTAMS, I NOTED THAT TXWY A WAS CLOSED. ON THE DSCNT INTO HOUSTON, I BRIEFED AN APCH TO RWY 17 SINCE THE WIND WAS RPTED CALM. AFTER ARRIVING IN THE LCL AREA, WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT RWY 35. SINCE I WAS CONCENTRATING ON THE EFIS, I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT TXWY A BEING CLOSED. WE MADE A NORMAL LNDG AND SLOWED TO TAXI SPD, EXPECTING TO TURN L AT TXWY A. AFTER PASSING TXWY B, THE TWR INSTRUCTED US TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN AND TAXI TO THE RAMP. I MOVED THE ACFT AS FAR TO THE R EDGE OF THE RWY AS I FELT COMFORTABLE WITH AND BEGAN A HARD TURN TO THE L. DURING THE TURN, THE NOSE GEAR 'SCRUBBED' A LITTLE, HOWEVER, SINCE THE CONFINES OF THE RWY SEEMED SO CLOSE, I KEPT THE NOSE STEERING FULLY DEFLECTED. AS THE TURN PROGRESSED APPROX 160 DEGS TO 170 DEGS OF TURN, THE NOSE GEAR LEFT THE PAVEMENT BY APPROX 1-2 FT AND SANK APPROX 1-2 FT. WE CONTACTED THE TWR, OUR OPS, AND FLT CTL, THEN SHUT THE AIRPLANE DOWN. NO DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE ACFT AND IT WAS TOWED BACK ONTO THE RWY AND BACK TO THE GATE. TIGHT 180 DEG TURNS ARE DONE VERY INFREQUENTLY AND IN THIS AIRPLANE MUST BE DONE PRECISELY TO STAY WITHIN THE 18 FT MARGIN. ATC COULD ALSO HELP PREVENT INCIDENTS LIKE THIS SINCE THEY KNEW THE TXWY WAS CLOSED, THE WIND WAS CALM, AND A HVY AIRPLANE WOULD MORE THAN LIKELY USE MOST OF THE AVAILABLE RWY.

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.