Narrative:

While taxiing to gate at cdg, the crew misinterpreted taxi instructions and made an unauthorized right turn. However, the arrows on the taxi chart indicated we were correct. Ground control told us about this after the turn was well in progress. I believe the taxi instructions were unclr due to the language barrier at cdg, and the fact that the commercial taxi chart is very poorly labeled. The ground controller makes reference to the 'alpha loop' which is not labeled anywhere on the chart. There is a description of the various loops for taxi on the lower right corner of the 20-9B chart, however, this depicts the actual signage used on the airport and nowhere on the taxi chart do they represent where the 'alpha loop' is. As a matter of fact, they call the so-called 'alpha loop' the 'outer' on the chart. Very confusing. Supplemental information from acn 253613: during taxi after landing there was some confusion arising from difficulty of understanding the ground controller. This controller had an accent so strong that she was most difficult to understand. This resulted in turning onto a taxiway which the controller said was illegal. After the aircraft was secured and we had left the aircraft, I learned that I had gotten the right outboard wheels off the taxiway. The outbound crew was informed and the so inspected the gear. There was no damage to the aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: a representative of the chart maker concurs with the reporter's comments. As a result, the outer loop will be changed to the alpha loop. In addition, other changes are planned that will enhance the chart.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC MISUNDERSTOOD TAXI RTE AND, WHILE MAKING AN 'ILLEGAL' TURN, THE R LNDG GEAR DEPARTED THE PAVEMENT.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING TO GATE AT CDG, THE CREW MISINTERPRETED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS AND MADE AN UNAUTH R TURN. HOWEVER, THE ARROWS ON THE TAXI CHART INDICATED WE WERE CORRECT. GND CTL TOLD US ABOUT THIS AFTER THE TURN WAS WELL IN PROGRESS. I BELIEVE THE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS WERE UNCLR DUE TO THE LANGUAGE BARRIER AT CDG, AND THE FACT THAT THE COMMERCIAL TAXI CHART IS VERY POORLY LABELED. THE GND CTLR MAKES REF TO THE 'ALPHA LOOP' WHICH IS NOT LABELED ANYWHERE ON THE CHART. THERE IS A DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIOUS LOOPS FOR TAXI ON THE LOWER R CORNER OF THE 20-9B CHART, HOWEVER, THIS DEPICTS THE ACTUAL SIGNAGE USED ON THE ARPT AND NOWHERE ON THE TAXI CHART DO THEY REPRESENT WHERE THE 'ALPHA LOOP' IS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY CALL THE SO-CALLED 'ALPHA LOOP' THE 'OUTER' ON THE CHART. VERY CONFUSING. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 253613: DURING TAXI AFTER LNDG THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ARISING FROM DIFFICULTY OF UNDERSTANDING THE GND CTLR. THIS CTLR HAD AN ACCENT SO STRONG THAT SHE WAS MOST DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. THIS RESULTED IN TURNING ONTO A TXWY WHICH THE CTLR SAID WAS ILLEGAL. AFTER THE ACFT WAS SECURED AND WE HAD LEFT THE ACFT, I LEARNED THAT I HAD GOTTEN THE R OUTBOARD WHEELS OFF THE TXWY. THE OUTBOUND CREW WAS INFORMED AND THE SO INSPECTED THE GEAR. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CHART MAKER CONCURS WITH THE RPTR'S COMMENTS. AS A RESULT, THE OUTER LOOP WILL BE CHANGED TO THE ALPHA LOOP. IN ADDITION, OTHER CHANGES ARE PLANNED THAT WILL ENHANCE THE CHART.

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.