Narrative:

Taxiing nebound on taxiway B (counter clockwise) approaching intersection of taxiway A18 when I noticed what appeared to be a foreign object on the taxiway. I fixated on the object trying to figure out what it was. It was dark and visibility was somewhat reduced by light rain and fog. As I approached the object I realized it was a broken off blue taxiway light (not illuminated). I then realized I had taxied off the active taxiway. The surface was all concrete and blue taxiway lights lined both sides of the area I was on giving the false perception that I was on a taxiway. I stopped the aircraft and consulted the other crew members to get input of our position. After realizing what had occurred and where we were I sharply turned the aircraft to the right and taxied back onto taxiway B. A possibility exists that we may have struck another taxiway light during the right turn maneuver. No report was made to the ground controllers. I think that the greatest contributing factor to this incident was the taxiway light which was knocked down at taxiway A18. It caused me to continue straight ahead instead of turning right to remain on taxiway B. The 'X' shows where the excursion occurred. Other contributing factors was the set up of the txwys specifically the turn required at taxiway A18 to stay on taxiway B. Reduced visibility caused by fog and the night environment also contributed to the error.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TXWY LIGHT KNOCKED DOWN DISTRACTS CAPT WHO TAXIES OFF TXWY.

Narrative: TAXIING NEBOUND ON TXWY B (COUNTER CLOCKWISE) APCHING INTXN OF TXWY A18 WHEN I NOTICED WHAT APPEARED TO BE A FOREIGN OBJECT ON THE TXWY. I FIXATED ON THE OBJECT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS. IT WAS DARK AND VISIBILITY WAS SOMEWHAT REDUCED BY LIGHT RAIN AND FOG. AS I APCHED THE OBJECT I REALIZED IT WAS A BROKEN OFF BLUE TXWY LIGHT (NOT ILLUMINATED). I THEN REALIZED I HAD TAXIED OFF THE ACTIVE TXWY. THE SURFACE WAS ALL CONCRETE AND BLUE TXWY LIGHTS LINED BOTH SIDES OF THE AREA I WAS ON GIVING THE FALSE PERCEPTION THAT I WAS ON A TXWY. I STOPPED THE ACFT AND CONSULTED THE OTHER CREW MEMBERS TO GET INPUT OF OUR POS. AFTER REALIZING WHAT HAD OCCURRED AND WHERE WE WERE I SHARPLY TURNED THE ACFT TO THE R AND TAXIED BACK ONTO TXWY B. A POSSIBILITY EXISTS THAT WE MAY HAVE STRUCK ANOTHER TXWY LIGHT DURING THE R TURN MANEUVER. NO RPT WAS MADE TO THE GND CTLRS. I THINK THAT THE GREATEST CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THIS INCIDENT WAS THE TXWY LIGHT WHICH WAS KNOCKED DOWN AT TXWY A18. IT CAUSED ME TO CONTINUE STRAIGHT AHEAD INSTEAD OF TURNING R TO REMAIN ON TXWY B. THE 'X' SHOWS WHERE THE EXCURSION OCCURRED. OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WAS THE SET UP OF THE TXWYS SPECIFICALLY THE TURN REQUIRED AT TXWY A18 TO STAY ON TXWY B. REDUCED VISIBILITY CAUSED BY FOG AND THE NIGHT ENVIRONMENT ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE ERROR.

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.