Narrative:

After a maintenance positioning flight (far part 91 operation) on arrival into ara (new iberia, la), we discovered that all taxiway lights were inoperative. No NOTAMS had been issued in regard to this. Once clear of runway we asked ATC for progressive taxi instructions to ramp. I maintained our ground flood and taxi lights, but extinguished the ground floods when a helicopter began his taxi near our position. At this point the controller said to turn left at next taxiway, which we did, and found ourselves at a dead end in a compass rose/swing area. I attempted to do a 180 degree turn, but ran out of room. We shut down and called for a tug to come tow us to the ramp. We did a quick exterior inspection and found our right main landing gear (right outboard tire) was partially off the pavement. When the tug hooked up and we released our parking brake the aircraft rolled backwards and both tires were now off the pavement. The tug pulled us back onto the surface and to the ramp. Although there was no damage evident, we had the aircraft inspected by our maintenance department personnel prior to departure. Although no aircraft damage was done (only my ego), this event had several links which contributed to its occurrence. Unfamiliar airport at night, no taxiway lights, incorrect airport diagram chart, incorrect ATC instructions, dumb pilot. If I had just stopped the aircraft when we realized the mistake, nothing would have happened. However, in my haste to correct the mistake, I further complicated matters. Next time something of this nature happens, I will: use extreme vigilance at unfamiliar airport, try never to operate at night into one, not allow one to have a false sense of well being by receiving progressive taxi instructions, and foremost -- when in doubt, park the airplane immediately. I was lucky this time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD82 FLC TAXIES OFF THE TXWY WHILE ATTEMPTING A 180 DEG TURN DURING A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: AFTER A MAINT POSITIONING FLT (FAR PART 91 OP) ON ARR INTO ARA (NEW IBERIA, LA), WE DISCOVERED THAT ALL TXWY LIGHTS WERE INOP. NO NOTAMS HAD BEEN ISSUED IN REGARD TO THIS. ONCE CLR OF RWY WE ASKED ATC FOR PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO RAMP. I MAINTAINED OUR GND FLOOD AND TAXI LIGHTS, BUT EXTINGUISHED THE GND FLOODS WHEN A HELI BEGAN HIS TAXI NEAR OUR POS. AT THIS POINT THE CTLR SAID TO TURN L AT NEXT TXWY, WHICH WE DID, AND FOUND OURSELVES AT A DEAD END IN A COMPASS ROSE/SWING AREA. I ATTEMPTED TO DO A 180 DEG TURN, BUT RAN OUT OF ROOM. WE SHUT DOWN AND CALLED FOR A TUG TO COME TOW US TO THE RAMP. WE DID A QUICK EXTERIOR INSPECTION AND FOUND OUR R MAIN LNDG GEAR (R OUTBOARD TIRE) WAS PARTIALLY OFF THE PAVEMENT. WHEN THE TUG HOOKED UP AND WE RELEASED OUR PARKING BRAKE THE ACFT ROLLED BACKWARDS AND BOTH TIRES WERE NOW OFF THE PAVEMENT. THE TUG PULLED US BACK ONTO THE SURFACE AND TO THE RAMP. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO DAMAGE EVIDENT, WE HAD THE ACFT INSPECTED BY OUR MAINT DEPT PERSONNEL PRIOR TO DEP. ALTHOUGH NO ACFT DAMAGE WAS DONE (ONLY MY EGO), THIS EVENT HAD SEVERAL LINKS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO ITS OCCURRENCE. UNFAMILIAR ARPT AT NIGHT, NO TXWY LIGHTS, INCORRECT ARPT DIAGRAM CHART, INCORRECT ATC INSTRUCTIONS, DUMB PLT. IF I HAD JUST STOPPED THE ACFT WHEN WE REALIZED THE MISTAKE, NOTHING WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. HOWEVER, IN MY HASTE TO CORRECT THE MISTAKE, I FURTHER COMPLICATED MATTERS. NEXT TIME SOMETHING OF THIS NATURE HAPPENS, I WILL: USE EXTREME VIGILANCE AT UNFAMILIAR ARPT, TRY NEVER TO OPERATE AT NIGHT INTO ONE, NOT ALLOW ONE TO HAVE A FALSE SENSE OF WELL BEING BY RECEIVING PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS, AND FOREMOST -- WHEN IN DOUBT, PARK THE AIRPLANE IMMEDIATELY. I WAS LUCKY THIS TIME.

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.