Narrative:

After landing at shv on runway 5, proceeded to taxi to the air carrier ramp via taxiway B and taxiway a. Approaching taxiway a, ground informed us that the taxiway lights at the end of taxiway B and all of alpha were inoperative, but that the taxiway centerline lights at the end of alpha were working. I slowed the aircraft as we approached the east entrance to the ramp and visually located my aircraft marshaller. As I turned in to the ramp entrance, I secured the taxi lights so as not to blind my marshaller and started to turn for line-up into my parking spot. It was at this time that I noticed that I had started the turn too soon and that the nose gear was heading into the grass. I applied the brakes as the nosewheels left the pavement. Ground and company operations were notified. The situation was relayed to the flight attendant and then I notified the passenger of what had happened. Arrangements were made for transport of the passenger the 100-150 yards to the terminal. When transport arrived, the aircraft was shut down normally with a normal reboarding process. No injuries were sustained. The nosewheels traveled approximately 2 ft over the ground at a distance of about 1 ft to the closest pavement. Aircraft was then turned over to maintenance. Contributing factors: 1) lack of taxi lights. The taxi stripe ends as you get to the air carrier ramp. Dark night with no moon and a ramp area that is not illuminated as much as most ramps. 2) overly concerned about not blinding my marshaller with the taxi lights.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE LACK OF TXWY LIGHTING IS A PRECURSOR TO A CL65 BEING TAXIED OFF THE TXWY ENTERING THE RAMP DURING A NIGHT OP AT SHV, LA.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG AT SHV ON RWY 5, PROCEEDED TO TAXI TO THE ACR RAMP VIA TXWY B AND TXWY A. APCHING TXWY A, GND INFORMED US THAT THE TXWY LIGHTS AT THE END OF TXWY B AND ALL OF ALPHA WERE INOP, BUT THAT THE TXWY CTRLINE LIGHTS AT THE END OF ALPHA WERE WORKING. I SLOWED THE ACFT AS WE APCHED THE EAST ENTRANCE TO THE RAMP AND VISUALLY LOCATED MY ACFT MARSHALLER. AS I TURNED IN TO THE RAMP ENTRANCE, I SECURED THE TAXI LIGHTS SO AS NOT TO BLIND MY MARSHALLER AND STARTED TO TURN FOR LINE-UP INTO MY PARKING SPOT. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT I NOTICED THAT I HAD STARTED THE TURN TOO SOON AND THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS HEADING INTO THE GRASS. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AS THE NOSEWHEELS LEFT THE PAVEMENT. GND AND COMPANY OPS WERE NOTIFIED. THE SIT WAS RELAYED TO THE FLT ATTENDANT AND THEN I NOTIFIED THE PAX OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED. ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE FOR TRANSPORT OF THE PAX THE 100-150 YARDS TO THE TERMINAL. WHEN TRANSPORT ARRIVED, THE ACFT WAS SHUT DOWN NORMALLY WITH A NORMAL REBOARDING PROCESS. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE NOSEWHEELS TRAVELED APPROX 2 FT OVER THE GND AT A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 1 FT TO THE CLOSEST PAVEMENT. ACFT WAS THEN TURNED OVER TO MAINT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) LACK OF TAXI LIGHTS. THE TAXI STRIPE ENDS AS YOU GET TO THE ACR RAMP. DARK NIGHT WITH NO MOON AND A RAMP AREA THAT IS NOT ILLUMINATED AS MUCH AS MOST RAMPS. 2) OVERLY CONCERNED ABOUT NOT BLINDING MY MARSHALLER WITH THE TAXI LIGHTS.

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.