Narrative:

We were operating XXX flight, cvg to grr on apr/xx/95. We landed uneventfully on runway 8R at approximately XA30 local. It was my leg and I was operating the aircraft the entire time. We exited the runway at taxiway A-3, making a left turn. The aircraft was under control and at a normal taxi speed. Having been into grr on several occasions, I was aware that there were 2 parallel txwys. The taxiway closest to the runway does not run full length and I was looking for the second taxiway which runs full length, to get to the ramp area. From the airport diagram, there appeared to be a short stub taxiway which would allow me to accomplish this and I was looking for it as we began to accomplish the after landing checklist. After accomplishing a couple of checklist items, I looked up and noticed that the aircraft was heading for a grassy area. I immediately brought the aircraft to a halt, still on the taxiway. From my observation it looked as if I could make a hard left turn and remain on the taxiway. I turned the wheel, adding power and the aircraft departed the prepared surface. The tower and company ground personnel were notified. Buses were dispatched and the passenger exited the aircraft through the aft stairs without incident. The key lessons taken away from this experience are that if you are unsure of your position, stop until you figure it out, and if you find yourself in a situation where maneuvering space is limited, stop and call the ground crew for help. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated he was taxiing the md-88 when he went off the taxiway. The chart he was complaining about in this report that mislead him has since been revised to correct the problem satisfactorily.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC TAXIED OFF TXWY INTO THE GRASS.

Narrative: WE WERE OPERATING XXX FLT, CVG TO GRR ON APR/XX/95. WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY ON RWY 8R AT APPROX XA30 LCL. IT WAS MY LEG AND I WAS OPERATING THE ACFT THE ENTIRE TIME. WE EXITED THE RWY AT TXWY A-3, MAKING A L TURN. THE ACFT WAS UNDER CTL AND AT A NORMAL TAXI SPD. HAVING BEEN INTO GRR ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, I WAS AWARE THAT THERE WERE 2 PARALLEL TXWYS. THE TXWY CLOSEST TO THE RWY DOES NOT RUN FULL LENGTH AND I WAS LOOKING FOR THE SECOND TXWY WHICH RUNS FULL LENGTH, TO GET TO THE RAMP AREA. FROM THE ARPT DIAGRAM, THERE APPEARED TO BE A SHORT STUB TXWY WHICH WOULD ALLOW ME TO ACCOMPLISH THIS AND I WAS LOOKING FOR IT AS WE BEGAN TO ACCOMPLISH THE AFTER LNDG CHKLIST. AFTER ACCOMPLISHING A COUPLE OF CHKLIST ITEMS, I LOOKED UP AND NOTICED THAT THE ACFT WAS HDG FOR A GRASSY AREA. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT THE ACFT TO A HALT, STILL ON THE TXWY. FROM MY OBSERVATION IT LOOKED AS IF I COULD MAKE A HARD L TURN AND REMAIN ON THE TXWY. I TURNED THE WHEEL, ADDING PWR AND THE ACFT DEPARTED THE PREPARED SURFACE. THE TWR AND CGP WERE NOTIFIED. BUSES WERE DISPATCHED AND THE PAX EXITED THE ACFT THROUGH THE AFT STAIRS WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE KEY LESSONS TAKEN AWAY FROM THIS EXPERIENCE ARE THAT IF YOU ARE UNSURE OF YOUR POS, STOP UNTIL YOU FIGURE IT OUT, AND IF YOU FIND YOURSELF IN A SIT WHERE MANEUVERING SPACE IS LIMITED, STOP AND CALL THE GND CREW FOR HELP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED HE WAS TAXIING THE MD-88 WHEN HE WENT OFF THE TXWY. THE CHART HE WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT IN THIS RPT THAT MISLEAD HIM HAS SINCE BEEN REVISED TO CORRECT THE PROB SATISFACTORILY.

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.