Excursion from taxiway. Air carrier runs off taxiway while maneuvering to approach gate.

Attributes
ACN	302077
Time
Date	199504
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lse
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 50
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	302077
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

The airport had just received 2-3 inches of fresh snow. Taxiing west on taxiway G after landing, the captain widened his turn to the left (south) to allow an easier turn to line up with the jetbridge. With poor braking, the heavy dc-9-50 would not be able to make the normal straight-in/right 'pivot' turn required to align with jetway. There was no definition between ramp and grass due to fresh snow. I think the main reason for this happening is poor airport lighting/markings. The blue taxiway lights stop on the south side of taxiway G as the ramp starts to the right (north) only. The blue taxiway lights should continue the extra 150 ft or so on the south edge of the ramp until the ramp does go to the south. A better fix would be to pave the area on the south of the ramp to make maneuvering to the gate safer and easier. Until the ramp is enlarged or lights added, there should be simple reflectors installed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EXCURSION FROM TXWY. ACR RUNS OFF TXWY WHILE MANEUVERING TO APCH GATE.

Narrative: THE ARPT HAD JUST RECEIVED 2-3 INCHES OF FRESH SNOW. TAXIING W ON TXWY G AFTER LNDG, THE CAPT WIDENED HIS TURN TO THE L (S) TO ALLOW AN EASIER TURN TO LINE UP WITH THE JETBRIDGE. WITH POOR BRAKING, THE HVY DC-9-50 WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE THE NORMAL STRAIGHT-IN/R 'PIVOT' TURN REQUIRED TO ALIGN WITH JETWAY. THERE WAS NO DEFINITION BTWN RAMP AND GRASS DUE TO FRESH SNOW. I THINK THE MAIN REASON FOR THIS HAPPENING IS POOR ARPT LIGHTING/MARKINGS. THE BLUE TXWY LIGHTS STOP ON THE S SIDE OF TXWY G AS THE RAMP STARTS TO THE R (N) ONLY. THE BLUE TXWY LIGHTS SHOULD CONTINUE THE EXTRA 150 FT OR SO ON THE S EDGE OF THE RAMP UNTIL THE RAMP DOES GO TO THE S. A BETTER FIX WOULD BE TO PAVE THE AREA ON THE S OF THE RAMP TO MAKE MANEUVERING TO THE GATE SAFER AND EASIER. UNTIL THE RAMP IS ENLARGED OR LIGHTS ADDED, THERE SHOULD BE SIMPLE REFLECTORS INSTALLED.

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.