Air carrier X taxiway excursion due to poor airport marking and lighting at night.

Attributes
ACN	302828
Time
Date	199504
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	302828
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

After exiting runway 27L we were assigned taxiway B to gate on concourse. At the intersection of taxiway D and taxiway B, we were to stay on taxiway B. However, due to set txwys and night time lighting, the service road was mistaken for the transition to taxiway B at that intersection. We discovered our error when our path was blocked by lights and signs. We requested entry from our position to taxiway a which ground approved. No taxi lights or signs were struck and the entire surface was concrete. We attribute this error to 4 factors: 1) unfamiliarity with ord. 2) poor lighting at the intersection during night time operations. 3) yellow taxi lines faded and difficult to see when wet. 4) the physical construction of the intersection and service road confluence. Suggest the installation of barrier lighting across service road entry to alert crews to taxiway direction and repainting yellow lines.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X TXWY EXCURSION DUE TO POOR ARPT MARKING AND LIGHTING AT NIGHT.

Narrative: AFTER EXITING RWY 27L WE WERE ASSIGNED TXWY B TO GATE ON CONCOURSE. AT THE INTXN OF TXWY D AND TXWY B, WE WERE TO STAY ON TXWY B. HOWEVER, DUE TO SET TXWYS AND NIGHT TIME LIGHTING, THE SVC ROAD WAS MISTAKEN FOR THE TRANSITION TO TXWY B AT THAT INTXN. WE DISCOVERED OUR ERROR WHEN OUR PATH WAS BLOCKED BY LIGHTS AND SIGNS. WE REQUESTED ENTRY FROM OUR POS TO TXWY A WHICH GND APPROVED. NO TAXI LIGHTS OR SIGNS WERE STRUCK AND THE ENTIRE SURFACE WAS CONCRETE. WE ATTRIBUTE THIS ERROR TO 4 FACTORS: 1) UNFAMILIARITY WITH ORD. 2) POOR LIGHTING AT THE INTXN DURING NIGHT TIME OPS. 3) YELLOW TAXI LINES FADED AND DIFFICULT TO SEE WHEN WET. 4) THE PHYSICAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE INTXN AND SVC ROAD CONFLUENCE. SUGGEST THE INSTALLATION OF BARRIER LIGHTING ACROSS SVC ROAD ENTRY TO ALERT CREWS TO TXWY DIRECTION AND REPAINTING YELLOW LINES.

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.