<< >> NASA ASRS Report 354471, November 1996

MD80 flight crew has difficulty discerning correct taxiway when exiting runway. Old lines still present and they create confusion. Taxiway lighting and marking problem.

Attributes
ACN	354471
Time
Date	199611
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : anc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	354471
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Landing runway 18 at dca. Turn off on runway 21, then txwys D and J. With restricted visibility, txwys D and J are very difficult to identify. Dca airport needs to install/repaint taxi marking or lights. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states the area used to be just a large general ramp area. Now the airport has put in ground blue taxi lights and designated specific txwys. The problem is that the old lines are still there and it is very confusing to know what to follow. This was at night with fog and rain so that added to the visibility problem. Ground controller said to be sure you are aware of where you are turning, which indicated there have been problems in the area. Reporter said they did watch and had no specific problem, but had to give full concentration to assure they went on correct route. He would like to see better markings and lighting.

Related reports:

• B737 captain reported difficulty locating hazmat procedures ...
• A line mechanic reports on the difficulty and confusion in d...
• A contract fueler reports confusion and difficulty when fuel...
• A private rated pilot flying a C172 from luk reports confusi...
• First officer (first officer) reports about the confusion an...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLC HAS DIFFICULTY DISCERNING CORRECT TXWY WHEN EXITING RWY. OLD LINES STILL PRESENT AND THEY CREATE CONFUSION. TXWY LIGHTING AND MARKING PROB.

Narrative: LNDG RWY 18 AT DCA. TURN OFF ON RWY 21, THEN TXWYS D AND J. WITH RESTRICTED VISIBILITY, TXWYS D AND J ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO IDENT. DCA ARPT NEEDS TO INSTALL/REPAINT TAXI MARKING OR LIGHTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE AREA USED TO BE JUST A LARGE GENERAL RAMP AREA. NOW THE ARPT HAS PUT IN GND BLUE TAXI LIGHTS AND DESIGNATED SPECIFIC TXWYS. THE PROB IS THAT THE OLD LINES ARE STILL THERE AND IT IS VERY CONFUSING TO KNOW WHAT TO FOLLOW. THIS WAS AT NIGHT WITH FOG AND RAIN SO THAT ADDED TO THE VISIBILITY PROB. GND CTLR SAID TO BE SURE YOU ARE AWARE OF WHERE YOU ARE TURNING, WHICH INDICATED THERE HAVE BEEN PROBS IN THE AREA. RPTR SAID THEY DID WATCH AND HAD NO SPECIFIC PROB, BUT HAD TO GIVE FULL CONCENTRATION TO ASSURE THEY WENT ON CORRECT RTE. HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE BETTER MARKINGS AND LIGHTING.

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.