Narrative:

In houston, iah airport, after landing runway 26 while taxiing to gate X, using na, nn and iab ramp (because of many taxiway closures), operations changed our gate to Y on opposite side of concourse. Ground control approved a u-turn at the intersection of na and nn as they had another aircraft coming across the east bridge. We had to stop awaiting that instruction and then began a left u-turn (single engine as usual, left engine running). It was a little too tight for the turn after losing our momentum stopping. When I felt I still had at least 2 or 3 ft of space to the edge, the nosewheel went onto the grass. We stopped at that point and called for a tow to pull our nosewheel back over onto pavement. I kept the nosewheel cocked to the side so the tow bar could be attached at a right angle to the taxiway which was done very easily. Tractor did not have to leave the taxiway. Nose was pulled over a few ft to the side, maintenance inspected and said was fine, pin was installed, tow bar disconnected and we taxied to our new gate. Logbook entry was made, maintenance inspection completed and signed off. Almost constant reconstruction has caused many taxiway closures at iah making navigation around the airport difficult. (There were 6 or 7 closures this night!) how about doing 1 or 2 at a time and getting some quality concrete to ensure a smooth future!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG CREW GOT THEIR NOSEWHEEL OFF ONTO THE GRASS WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A TIGHT TURN IN THE MIDST OF A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION.

Narrative: IN HOUSTON, IAH ARPT, AFTER LNDG RWY 26 WHILE TAXIING TO GATE X, USING NA, NN AND IAB RAMP (BECAUSE OF MANY TXWY CLOSURES), OPS CHANGED OUR GATE TO Y ON OPPOSITE SIDE OF CONCOURSE. GND CTL APPROVED A U-TURN AT THE INTXN OF NA AND NN AS THEY HAD ANOTHER ACFT COMING ACROSS THE E BRIDGE. WE HAD TO STOP AWAITING THAT INSTRUCTION AND THEN BEGAN A L U-TURN (SINGLE ENG AS USUAL, L ENG RUNNING). IT WAS A LITTLE TOO TIGHT FOR THE TURN AFTER LOSING OUR MOMENTUM STOPPING. WHEN I FELT I STILL HAD AT LEAST 2 OR 3 FT OF SPACE TO THE EDGE, THE NOSEWHEEL WENT ONTO THE GRASS. WE STOPPED AT THAT POINT AND CALLED FOR A TOW TO PULL OUR NOSEWHEEL BACK OVER ONTO PAVEMENT. I KEPT THE NOSEWHEEL COCKED TO THE SIDE SO THE TOW BAR COULD BE ATTACHED AT A R ANGLE TO THE TXWY WHICH WAS DONE VERY EASILY. TRACTOR DID NOT HAVE TO LEAVE THE TXWY. NOSE WAS PULLED OVER A FEW FT TO THE SIDE, MAINT INSPECTED AND SAID WAS FINE, PIN WAS INSTALLED, TOW BAR DISCONNECTED AND WE TAXIED TO OUR NEW GATE. LOGBOOK ENTRY WAS MADE, MAINT INSPECTION COMPLETED AND SIGNED OFF. ALMOST CONSTANT RECONSTRUCTION HAS CAUSED MANY TXWY CLOSURES AT IAH MAKING NAV AROUND THE ARPT DIFFICULT. (THERE WERE 6 OR 7 CLOSURES THIS NIGHT!) HOW ABOUT DOING 1 OR 2 AT A TIME AND GETTING SOME QUALITY CONCRETE TO ENSURE A SMOOTH FUTURE!

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.