Narrative:

After landing on runway 3 at chs we turned off the runway at the end and contacted ground control. Ground control instructed us to taxi to the ramp (runway 33/15 was closed). Looking down taxiway a towards the ramp, we saw barriers across taxiway a. We asked ground about taxiway a being closed and what taxi route he wanted. Ground replied taxiway a was closed and to use taxiway 2 to taxiway 3 then to the ramp (taxiway a being closed was not on the ATIS). From where we turned off the runway, the taxiway signs led us to believe taxiway a was to our right and taxiway 2 was straight ahead into a GA ramp. After looking at our airport diagrams we concluded this was the correct direction. However, once we were in this ramp area it was obvious we had not taken the correct route. Ground told us at this time that we had made the same mistake other acrs had made and had not followed taxiway 2. As ground was saying this, the captain was beginning to exit the ramp area through a narrow exit. At this time we felt the right main go into a depression. The captain stopped the aircraft to assess our situation. We confirmed with ground that there weren't any aircraft behind us and I concluded we could make it through the ramp exit. With using a little more than normal taxi power, the captain continued the taxi out of the ramp and to the terminal area. Ground apologized and said they realize the taxiway signs are not very good but the air force controled that side of the airport. We responded by saying if that was the case then he needed to be more directive in his taxi instructions in this situation. The captain and I felt since we weren't the first to make this mistake, there will be others who will do it again. Someone will get stuck in this ramp area unless the taxiway signs are made better or better taxi instructions are given when taxiway a is closed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG MISSED TURN IN TXWY AND TAXIED ONTO AN UNAUTH RAMP.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG ON RWY 3 AT CHS WE TURNED OFF THE RWY AT THE END AND CONTACTED GND CTL. GND CTL INSTRUCTED US TO TAXI TO THE RAMP (RWY 33/15 WAS CLOSED). LOOKING DOWN TXWY A TOWARDS THE RAMP, WE SAW BARRIERS ACROSS TXWY A. WE ASKED GND ABOUT TXWY A BEING CLOSED AND WHAT TAXI RTE HE WANTED. GND REPLIED TXWY A WAS CLOSED AND TO USE TXWY 2 TO TXWY 3 THEN TO THE RAMP (TXWY A BEING CLOSED WAS NOT ON THE ATIS). FROM WHERE WE TURNED OFF THE RWY, THE TXWY SIGNS LED US TO BELIEVE TXWY A WAS TO OUR R AND TXWY 2 WAS STRAIGHT AHEAD INTO A GA RAMP. AFTER LOOKING AT OUR ARPT DIAGRAMS WE CONCLUDED THIS WAS THE CORRECT DIRECTION. HOWEVER, ONCE WE WERE IN THIS RAMP AREA IT WAS OBVIOUS WE HAD NOT TAKEN THE CORRECT RTE. GND TOLD US AT THIS TIME THAT WE HAD MADE THE SAME MISTAKE OTHER ACRS HAD MADE AND HAD NOT FOLLOWED TXWY 2. AS GND WAS SAYING THIS, THE CAPT WAS BEGINNING TO EXIT THE RAMP AREA THROUGH A NARROW EXIT. AT THIS TIME WE FELT THE R MAIN GO INTO A DEPRESSION. THE CAPT STOPPED THE ACFT TO ASSESS OUR SIT. WE CONFIRMED WITH GND THAT THERE WEREN'T ANY ACFT BEHIND US AND I CONCLUDED WE COULD MAKE IT THROUGH THE RAMP EXIT. WITH USING A LITTLE MORE THAN NORMAL TAXI PWR, THE CAPT CONTINUED THE TAXI OUT OF THE RAMP AND TO THE TERMINAL AREA. GND APOLOGIZED AND SAID THEY REALIZE THE TXWY SIGNS ARE NOT VERY GOOD BUT THE AIR FORCE CTLED THAT SIDE OF THE ARPT. WE RESPONDED BY SAYING IF THAT WAS THE CASE THEN HE NEEDED TO BE MORE DIRECTIVE IN HIS TAXI INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS SIT. THE CAPT AND I FELT SINCE WE WEREN'T THE FIRST TO MAKE THIS MISTAKE, THERE WILL BE OTHERS WHO WILL DO IT AGAIN. SOMEONE WILL GET STUCK IN THIS RAMP AREA UNLESS THE TXWY SIGNS ARE MADE BETTER OR BETTER TAXI INSTRUCTIONS ARE GIVEN WHEN TXWY A IS CLOSED.

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.