Narrative:

Low visibility conditions at field due to local WX causing rapid/early dusk. Commenced a steady controled power-back with 1.22 EPR. Received come forward signal. Rearward movement almost stopped when anxious radio call from rdu ramp stated 'flight XXX, bring it up.' pilot increased thrust, aircraft came forward, stopped aircraft. Ramp then stated that we almost went back too far but that having noted the forward movement of the plane that believe you're ok. Crew decided to make a logbook entry. Crew insisted on a maintenance inspection. At this point the crew noticed that the ramp area was now brightly lighted. We realized that the ramp lights had not been on during power-back. Maintenance inspection noted no problems. Maintenance inspector said that we had stayed on the ramp. Logbook was cleared. Upon landing destination, both pilots did thorough post-flight inspection -- clean machine. Conclusion: were ramp lights on a timer? Anyway, the lights needed to be on sooner. Believe that lack of lighting affected perceptions by ramp control, guide man and crew. Believe that lack of lighting almost caused taxi excursion incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MLG ACR ACFT ALMOST 'PWR-BACKED' OFF ARPT RAMP AREA DUE TO UNLIGHTED RAMP.

Narrative: LOW VISIBILITY CONDITIONS AT FIELD DUE TO LCL WX CAUSING RAPID/EARLY DUSK. COMMENCED A STEADY CTLED PWR-BACK WITH 1.22 EPR. RECEIVED COME FORWARD SIGNAL. REARWARD MOVEMENT ALMOST STOPPED WHEN ANXIOUS RADIO CALL FROM RDU RAMP STATED 'FLT XXX, BRING IT UP.' PLT INCREASED THRUST, ACFT CAME FORWARD, STOPPED ACFT. RAMP THEN STATED THAT WE ALMOST WENT BACK TOO FAR BUT THAT HAVING NOTED THE FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE PLANE THAT BELIEVE YOU'RE OK. CREW DECIDED TO MAKE A LOGBOOK ENTRY. CREW INSISTED ON A MAINT INSPECTION. AT THIS POINT THE CREW NOTICED THAT THE RAMP AREA WAS NOW BRIGHTLY LIGHTED. WE REALIZED THAT THE RAMP LIGHTS HAD NOT BEEN ON DURING PWR-BACK. MAINT INSPECTION NOTED NO PROBS. MAINT INSPECTOR SAID THAT WE HAD STAYED ON THE RAMP. LOGBOOK WAS CLRED. UPON LNDG DEST, BOTH PLTS DID THOROUGH POST-FLT INSPECTION -- CLEAN MACHINE. CONCLUSION: WERE RAMP LIGHTS ON A TIMER? ANYWAY, THE LIGHTS NEEDED TO BE ON SOONER. BELIEVE THAT LACK OF LIGHTING AFFECTED PERCEPTIONS BY RAMP CTL, GUIDE MAN AND CREW. BELIEVE THAT LACK OF LIGHTING ALMOST CAUSED TAXI EXCURSION INCIDENT.

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.