Narrative:

I was paired with a new captain (less than 100 hours) who had previous time in type as first officer. I was a new first officer (just over 75 hours) with previous time in type as so. While in accordance with far 121.438(D), we were still both new in our position. Upon check-in at airport, we were advised that our non-stop to the hub would now include a stop in elp where I have never been, and the captain had not been in a while (I later found out). We departed 10 mins early and the flight was short (40 mins en route), but I familiarized myself with elp airport diagram (and approachs) while en route. The captain appeared to be familiar with elp by comments made en route and during approach. We were given a visual approach (runway 26L) between 2 other acrs. The one behind us was advised he was 3 mi in-trail and closing. During landing roll, tower instructed 'turn left at the end, do not use taxiway F.' (see attached diagrams.) it was not immediately clear whether he meant 'the end' of the runway, or 'the end' of the taxiway 'east' extension of the runway. Things were happening quickly, and we were aware of landing traffic behind us, so as we approached 'the end' of runway 26L (runway 8R threshold markings) we sighted a taxiway 'K' sign on the left and the captain indicated he would turn left there. I advised the tower we would use taxiway 'K' and he approved it, though I believe it is actually taxiway 'G' not 'K' on the south side of the runway. From my position, and in the dark, it appeared to be a 90 degree left turn onto the terminal ramp. However, it is actually a left 135 degree followed immediately by a right 135 degree around a small 'painted island' with another taxiway sign in it. Clearing the runway the captain called for the 'after landing checklist,' and I began my 'flow' per company procedures which diverted my attention up and to the left (overhead panel). The captain then began a right turn toward taxiway 'D.' I interrupted my flow and quickly looked right for traffic. He then made a comment indicating he was trying to determine if the yellow line he saw was in fact the taxiway C centerline. I diverted my attention forward towards that line as he continued turning right. Just after that we felt a bump as our right main wheels went over a taxiway sign I had not seen, as it must have been behind the cockpit and close to the aircraft centerline by the time I looked right. Upon post flight we found minor damage to both right main tires. We contacted maintenance and the airport authority/authorized. Preventive corrective action: the tower could have been more specific about 'the end.' he could have specified 'echo, alpha, to the ramp' if that's what he meant. With traffic close behind us it seemed more appropriate to clear the runway than to query him, though in retrospect, taxiway 'K' (or 'G') was a less than ideal turnoff. The diagram should show the 'painted islands,' like the airport authority/authorized diagram does (attached). This would raise awareness. I will suggest to company that we issue a company NOTAM to be included in the WX printout cautioning pilots on the existence of these obstructions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT CRUSHES TXWY SIGN ON THE RAMP AFTER EXITING RWY 26L.

Narrative: I WAS PAIRED WITH A NEW CAPT (LESS THAN 100 HRS) WHO HAD PREVIOUS TIME IN TYPE AS FO. I WAS A NEW FO (JUST OVER 75 HRS) WITH PREVIOUS TIME IN TYPE AS SO. WHILE IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR 121.438(D), WE WERE STILL BOTH NEW IN OUR POS. UPON CHK-IN AT ARPT, WE WERE ADVISED THAT OUR NON-STOP TO THE HUB WOULD NOW INCLUDE A STOP IN ELP WHERE I HAVE NEVER BEEN, AND THE CAPT HAD NOT BEEN IN A WHILE (I LATER FOUND OUT). WE DEPARTED 10 MINS EARLY AND THE FLT WAS SHORT (40 MINS ENRTE), BUT I FAMILIARIZED MYSELF WITH ELP ARPT DIAGRAM (AND APCHS) WHILE ENRTE. THE CAPT APPEARED TO BE FAMILIAR WITH ELP BY COMMENTS MADE ENRTE AND DURING APCH. WE WERE GIVEN A VISUAL APCH (RWY 26L) BTWN 2 OTHER ACRS. THE ONE BEHIND US WAS ADVISED HE WAS 3 MI IN-TRAIL AND CLOSING. DURING LNDG ROLL, TWR INSTRUCTED 'TURN L AT THE END, DO NOT USE TXWY F.' (SEE ATTACHED DIAGRAMS.) IT WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY CLR WHETHER HE MEANT 'THE END' OF THE RWY, OR 'THE END' OF THE TXWY 'E' EXTENSION OF THE RWY. THINGS WERE HAPPENING QUICKLY, AND WE WERE AWARE OF LNDG TFC BEHIND US, SO AS WE APCHED 'THE END' OF RWY 26L (RWY 8R THRESHOLD MARKINGS) WE SIGHTED A TXWY 'K' SIGN ON THE L AND THE CAPT INDICATED HE WOULD TURN L THERE. I ADVISED THE TWR WE WOULD USE TXWY 'K' AND HE APPROVED IT, THOUGH I BELIEVE IT IS ACTUALLY TXWY 'G' NOT 'K' ON THE S SIDE OF THE RWY. FROM MY POS, AND IN THE DARK, IT APPEARED TO BE A 90 DEG L TURN ONTO THE TERMINAL RAMP. HOWEVER, IT IS ACTUALLY A L 135 DEG FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A R 135 DEG AROUND A SMALL 'PAINTED ISLAND' WITH ANOTHER TXWY SIGN IN IT. CLRING THE RWY THE CAPT CALLED FOR THE 'AFTER LNDG CHKLIST,' AND I BEGAN MY 'FLOW' PER COMPANY PROCS WHICH DIVERTED MY ATTN UP AND TO THE L (OVERHEAD PANEL). THE CAPT THEN BEGAN A R TURN TOWARD TXWY 'D.' I INTERRUPTED MY FLOW AND QUICKLY LOOKED R FOR TFC. HE THEN MADE A COMMENT INDICATING HE WAS TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THE YELLOW LINE HE SAW WAS IN FACT THE TXWY C CTRLINE. I DIVERTED MY ATTN FORWARD TOWARDS THAT LINE AS HE CONTINUED TURNING R. JUST AFTER THAT WE FELT A BUMP AS OUR R MAIN WHEELS WENT OVER A TXWY SIGN I HAD NOT SEEN, AS IT MUST HAVE BEEN BEHIND THE COCKPIT AND CLOSE TO THE ACFT CTRLINE BY THE TIME I LOOKED R. UPON POST FLT WE FOUND MINOR DAMAGE TO BOTH R MAIN TIRES. WE CONTACTED MAINT AND THE ARPT AUTH. PREVENTIVE CORRECTIVE ACTION: THE TWR COULD HAVE BEEN MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT 'THE END.' HE COULD HAVE SPECIFIED 'ECHO, ALPHA, TO THE RAMP' IF THAT'S WHAT HE MEANT. WITH TFC CLOSE BEHIND US IT SEEMED MORE APPROPRIATE TO CLR THE RWY THAN TO QUERY HIM, THOUGH IN RETROSPECT, TXWY 'K' (OR 'G') WAS A LESS THAN IDEAL TURNOFF. THE DIAGRAM SHOULD SHOW THE 'PAINTED ISLANDS,' LIKE THE ARPT AUTH DIAGRAM DOES (ATTACHED). THIS WOULD RAISE AWARENESS. I WILL SUGGEST TO COMPANY THAT WE ISSUE A COMPANY NOTAM TO BE INCLUDED IN THE WX PRINTOUT CAUTIONING PLTS ON THE EXISTENCE OF THESE OBSTRUCTIONS.

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.