Narrative:

We pushed back from gate, started engines, and were cleared to taxi via taxiway H to runway 21C, deice remote pad. Due to poor visibility in rain and snow, I elected to turn left out of gate. Apparently I turned onto a closed taxiway between taxiway K11 and K12, which doesn't show on our taxi chart. There are no blue edge lights to mark this as a closed edge and our turn was so tight that if there is an 'X' on the east end of the closed taxiway, I did not see it, as we turned tightly to the left. As we proceeded west, my nose taxi light illuminated a yellow 'X' on the taxiway we were on. I stopped and we then got clearance to proceed west to taxiway Y and continue clockwise around back onto taxiway H. The end of the C concourse is under construction and the area is not very well marked. I simply turned onto the wrong taxiway under poor visibility conditions. In my opinion, the whole area of txwys south and west of the end of concourse C is very confusing due to the numerous diagonal txwys crossing each other. Under poor light and visibility, it is rather difficult to find your way around. The ground controllers are so busy, even if you have a question about his instructions, you rarely can get a word in to ask a question. This area, in my opinion, requires extraordinary precautions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 TAXIING OUT FROM GATE AREA FOR TKOF AT NIGHT WITH FOG, SNOW, AND ICE, TAKES WRONG RTE AND ENTERS A CLOSED TXWY. FURTHER CLRNC FROM ATC TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE CLOSED AREA IS GIVEN. PLT RPTR BLAMES CONSTRUCTION WORK AND LACK OF SUFFICIENT LIGHTING AS REASON.

Narrative: WE PUSHED BACK FROM GATE, STARTED ENGS, AND WERE CLRED TO TAXI VIA TXWY H TO RWY 21C, DEICE REMOTE PAD. DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY IN RAIN AND SNOW, I ELECTED TO TURN L OUT OF GATE. APPARENTLY I TURNED ONTO A CLOSED TXWY BTWN TXWY K11 AND K12, WHICH DOESN'T SHOW ON OUR TAXI CHART. THERE ARE NO BLUE EDGE LIGHTS TO MARK THIS AS A CLOSED EDGE AND OUR TURN WAS SO TIGHT THAT IF THERE IS AN 'X' ON THE E END OF THE CLOSED TXWY, I DID NOT SEE IT, AS WE TURNED TIGHTLY TO THE L. AS WE PROCEEDED W, MY NOSE TAXI LIGHT ILLUMINATED A YELLOW 'X' ON THE TXWY WE WERE ON. I STOPPED AND WE THEN GOT CLRNC TO PROCEED W TO TXWY Y AND CONTINUE CLOCKWISE AROUND BACK ONTO TXWY H. THE END OF THE C CONCOURSE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND THE AREA IS NOT VERY WELL MARKED. I SIMPLY TURNED ONTO THE WRONG TXWY UNDER POOR VISIBILITY CONDITIONS. IN MY OPINION, THE WHOLE AREA OF TXWYS S AND W OF THE END OF CONCOURSE C IS VERY CONFUSING DUE TO THE NUMEROUS DIAGONAL TXWYS XING EACH OTHER. UNDER POOR LIGHT AND VISIBILITY, IT IS RATHER DIFFICULT TO FIND YOUR WAY AROUND. THE GND CTLRS ARE SO BUSY, EVEN IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT HIS INSTRUCTIONS, YOU RARELY CAN GET A WORD IN TO ASK A QUESTION. THIS AREA, IN MY OPINION, REQUIRES EXTRAORDINARY PRECAUTIONS.

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.