B717 flight crew taxies off the pavement onto the grass while attempting to turn at ric.

Attributes
ACN	599565
Time
Date	200311
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ric.airport
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B717 (Formerly MD-95)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 9800 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	599565
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	599566
Events
Anomaly	excursion : taxiway
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

WX at iad resulted in holding at mol for approximately 30 mins. Coordinated with soc. Bingo at 7000 pounds and ric divert field. FBO X was to handle the aircraft upon arrival. We landed on runway 20 and exited at U1 and stopped the aircraft on U1. We asked the tower for directions to FBO X. We were instructed to turn left on taxiway K. After taxiing on taxiway K up to a 90 degree right turn, we came to a full stop again and asked the tower for further directions (go straight or turn right). We were instructed to turn right and go to the end to FBO X. I initiated the right turn, focusing on remaining clear of the outside boundary of the taxiway, onto which I was turning. About 20 degrees into the turn, it became apparent to myself and my first officer that the mains would not clear and I attempted to re-straighten the nose gear back to the left to straighten back onto the original taxiway. Simultaneously, the right mains departed the taxiway onto the grass. I could not get the nose to straighten and it continued the turn (around the right main) about another 20 degrees, then came to a rest. The aircraft would not move under normal taxi power. I elected to call FBO X for help. They brought a tug, but were unsuccessful in pulling us onto the taxiway. FBO X and the crash crew on scene (crash crew was not called by me or my first officer). It was recommended at that time by the 'on scene leader' for us to attempt to power out. We were assured the path was clear to the taxiway. Approximately power required was equivalent to a xbleed engine start. Once the aircraft began to move, it rolled easily onto the taxiway. We were instructed at this time to go to FBO Y for handling. Taxi to new FBO was uneventful. The whole area surrounding taxiway K is very poorly lit at night, making determination of the width of the taxiway difficult. The airport chart showed us as legal to taxi on taxiway K. Supplemental information from acn 599566: I checked taxi chart and looked up and noticed that the aircraft would not make present turn and remain on taxiway. At the same time I called 'stop' going off the taxiway. I got on the brakes and attempted to stop the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B717 FLT CREW TAXIES OFF THE PAVEMENT ONTO THE GRASS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN AT RIC.

Narrative: WX AT IAD RESULTED IN HOLDING AT MOL FOR APPROX 30 MINS. COORDINATED WITH SOC. BINGO AT 7000 LBS AND RIC DIVERT FIELD. FBO X WAS TO HANDLE THE ACFT UPON ARR. WE LANDED ON RWY 20 AND EXITED AT U1 AND STOPPED THE ACFT ON U1. WE ASKED THE TWR FOR DIRECTIONS TO FBO X. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TURN L ON TXWY K. AFTER TAXIING ON TXWY K UP TO A 90 DEG R TURN, WE CAME TO A FULL STOP AGAIN AND ASKED THE TWR FOR FURTHER DIRECTIONS (GO STRAIGHT OR TURN R). WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TURN R AND GO TO THE END TO FBO X. I INITIATED THE R TURN, FOCUSING ON REMAINING CLR OF THE OUTSIDE BOUNDARY OF THE TXWY, ONTO WHICH I WAS TURNING. ABOUT 20 DEGS INTO THE TURN, IT BECAME APPARENT TO MYSELF AND MY FO THAT THE MAINS WOULD NOT CLR AND I ATTEMPTED TO RE-STRAIGHTEN THE NOSE GEAR BACK TO THE L TO STRAIGHTEN BACK ONTO THE ORIGINAL TXWY. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE R MAINS DEPARTED THE TXWY ONTO THE GRASS. I COULD NOT GET THE NOSE TO STRAIGHTEN AND IT CONTINUED THE TURN (AROUND THE R MAIN) ABOUT ANOTHER 20 DEGS, THEN CAME TO A REST. THE ACFT WOULD NOT MOVE UNDER NORMAL TAXI PWR. I ELECTED TO CALL FBO X FOR HELP. THEY BROUGHT A TUG, BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN PULLING US ONTO THE TXWY. FBO X AND THE CRASH CREW ON SCENE (CRASH CREW WAS NOT CALLED BY ME OR MY FO). IT WAS RECOMMENDED AT THAT TIME BY THE 'ON SCENE LEADER' FOR US TO ATTEMPT TO PWR OUT. WE WERE ASSURED THE PATH WAS CLR TO THE TXWY. APPROX PWR REQUIRED WAS EQUIVALENT TO A XBLEED ENG START. ONCE THE ACFT BEGAN TO MOVE, IT ROLLED EASILY ONTO THE TXWY. WE WERE INSTRUCTED AT THIS TIME TO GO TO FBO Y FOR HANDLING. TAXI TO NEW FBO WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE WHOLE AREA SURROUNDING TXWY K IS VERY POORLY LIT AT NIGHT, MAKING DETERMINATION OF THE WIDTH OF THE TXWY DIFFICULT. THE ARPT CHART SHOWED US AS LEGAL TO TAXI ON TXWY K. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 599566: I CHKED TAXI CHART AND LOOKED UP AND NOTICED THAT THE ACFT WOULD NOT MAKE PRESENT TURN AND REMAIN ON TXWY. AT THE SAME TIME I CALLED 'STOP' GOING OFF THE TXWY. I GOT ON THE BRAKES AND ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE ACFT.

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.