Narrative:

After a normal landing in atl, we were informed of a last min gate change. We informed ground control that our ramp had changed from ramp a to ramp B. We were eastbound on taxiway east and had just begun the turn from taxiway east onto taxiway F4. Ground control asked if we were able to make a 180 degree turn back to taxiway east so he didn't have to stop traffic on taxiway F. There appeared to be enough width at the junction of taxiway east and taxiway F4, and our nose was already on taxiway F4, so we complied and began a left turn back to taxiway east. During the turn, the nosewheels departed the concrete onto asphalt shoulder. There was approximately a 2 inch ht difference between the asphalt and the concrete. The aircraft was stopped when the nosewheels went onto the asphalt, and the concrete lip prevented the nosewheel's return onto the taxiway. At this point, maintenance was called to use a tug to center the nosewheels and move them back onto the taxiway. The decision was made to have maintenance tow the aircraft back to the gate. No damage or injuries resulted. The crew misjudged the area of the taxiway intersection resulting in the nosewheel departing the marked taxiway onto the paved shoulder. We can prevent this in the future, and would have prevented this occurrence by taxiing east on taxiway F to the next intersection F5, then turning west on taxiway east. We will not attempt a 180 degree turn at a taxiway intersection.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 FLC ATTEMPT 180 DEG TURN ON TXWY BUT DEPART CONCRETE SURFACE AND REQUIRE A TOW TO GATE.

Narrative: AFTER A NORMAL LNDG IN ATL, WE WERE INFORMED OF A LAST MIN GATE CHANGE. WE INFORMED GND CTL THAT OUR RAMP HAD CHANGED FROM RAMP A TO RAMP B. WE WERE EBOUND ON TXWY E AND HAD JUST BEGUN THE TURN FROM TXWY E ONTO TXWY F4. GND CTL ASKED IF WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN BACK TO TXWY E SO HE DIDN'T HAVE TO STOP TFC ON TXWY F. THERE APPEARED TO BE ENOUGH WIDTH AT THE JUNCTION OF TXWY E AND TXWY F4, AND OUR NOSE WAS ALREADY ON TXWY F4, SO WE COMPLIED AND BEGAN A L TURN BACK TO TXWY E. DURING THE TURN, THE NOSEWHEELS DEPARTED THE CONCRETE ONTO ASPHALT SHOULDER. THERE WAS APPROX A 2 INCH HT DIFFERENCE BTWN THE ASPHALT AND THE CONCRETE. THE ACFT WAS STOPPED WHEN THE NOSEWHEELS WENT ONTO THE ASPHALT, AND THE CONCRETE LIP PREVENTED THE NOSEWHEEL'S RETURN ONTO THE TXWY. AT THIS POINT, MAINT WAS CALLED TO USE A TUG TO CTR THE NOSEWHEELS AND MOVE THEM BACK ONTO THE TXWY. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO HAVE MAINT TOW THE ACFT BACK TO THE GATE. NO DAMAGE OR INJURIES RESULTED. THE CREW MISJUDGED THE AREA OF THE TXWY INTXN RESULTING IN THE NOSEWHEEL DEPARTING THE MARKED TXWY ONTO THE PAVED SHOULDER. WE CAN PREVENT THIS IN THE FUTURE, AND WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS OCCURRENCE BY TAXIING E ON TXWY F TO THE NEXT INTXN F5, THEN TURNING W ON TXWY E. WE WILL NOT ATTEMPT A 180 DEG TURN AT A TXWY INTXN.

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.