Narrative:

We turned into the wrong alleyway at bdl while trying to find gate. We were approaching the terminal from the north on taxiway south; and turned one alleyway too soon. Bdl tower called us to alert us we were in the wrong alley and; luckily; we had enough room to turn around. However; 2 things stand out about this incident: 1) when we parked at the gate; and even the next day; operations personnel at bdl stated that this happened almost every night! 2) although we had enough room to turn around; it was tight. The potential for a taxi incident and damage is huge. Both of us had been to bdl many times before; although not since the airport built a new terminal. We were both looking hard for the gate numbers; and both got suckered in by 2 overnight air carrier aircraft parked at the old terminal. We saw these aircraft; then saw a gate lit up on the end of the next terminal; and that convinced both of us it was the right alley. Doubts began creeping in when it didn't look like there was room at the end of the line; where we expected our gate to be; nor could we see any gate numbers lit up. I think the diagram on our 10-7 page was a direct contributing factor. Although it technically depicts the proper gate location; it isn't real clear. Combine that with the overnight aircraft parked at the other terminal (which we see first when coming from the runway); and they get the crews every night. How to improve the 10-7 page: 1) make a note in the arrs section about the overnight aircraft. 2) although we normally only depict air carrier gates on the 10-7 diagram; add the end gate numbers for the air carrier X terminal. They really stand out when they are lit up at night; and that would get us pointed in the right direction. 3) have several persons review the diagram to see if the drawing can be revised any other way. I also strongly recommend that; until the 10-7 page can be revised; a station NOTAM or 'posbd' be published. It is happening almost every night to crews that have been there before!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 CREW AT BDL RPTS TURNING INTO THE INCORRECT ALLEYWAY ACCESSING A GATE BECAUSE OF ACR ACFT IN THE ADJACENT GATES AND A MISLEADING PAGE 10-7 ILLUSTRATION.

Narrative: WE TURNED INTO THE WRONG ALLEYWAY AT BDL WHILE TRYING TO FIND GATE. WE WERE APCHING THE TERMINAL FROM THE N ON TXWY S; AND TURNED ONE ALLEYWAY TOO SOON. BDL TWR CALLED US TO ALERT US WE WERE IN THE WRONG ALLEY AND; LUCKILY; WE HAD ENOUGH ROOM TO TURN AROUND. HOWEVER; 2 THINGS STAND OUT ABOUT THIS INCIDENT: 1) WHEN WE PARKED AT THE GATE; AND EVEN THE NEXT DAY; OPS PERSONNEL AT BDL STATED THAT THIS HAPPENED ALMOST EVERY NIGHT! 2) ALTHOUGH WE HAD ENOUGH ROOM TO TURN AROUND; IT WAS TIGHT. THE POTENTIAL FOR A TAXI INCIDENT AND DAMAGE IS HUGE. BOTH OF US HAD BEEN TO BDL MANY TIMES BEFORE; ALTHOUGH NOT SINCE THE ARPT BUILT A NEW TERMINAL. WE WERE BOTH LOOKING HARD FOR THE GATE NUMBERS; AND BOTH GOT SUCKERED IN BY 2 OVERNIGHT ACR ACFT PARKED AT THE OLD TERMINAL. WE SAW THESE ACFT; THEN SAW A GATE LIT UP ON THE END OF THE NEXT TERMINAL; AND THAT CONVINCED BOTH OF US IT WAS THE RIGHT ALLEY. DOUBTS BEGAN CREEPING IN WHEN IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THERE WAS ROOM AT THE END OF THE LINE; WHERE WE EXPECTED OUR GATE TO BE; NOR COULD WE SEE ANY GATE NUMBERS LIT UP. I THINK THE DIAGRAM ON OUR 10-7 PAGE WAS A DIRECT CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. ALTHOUGH IT TECHNICALLY DEPICTS THE PROPER GATE LOCATION; IT ISN'T REAL CLR. COMBINE THAT WITH THE OVERNIGHT ACFT PARKED AT THE OTHER TERMINAL (WHICH WE SEE FIRST WHEN COMING FROM THE RWY); AND THEY GET THE CREWS EVERY NIGHT. HOW TO IMPROVE THE 10-7 PAGE: 1) MAKE A NOTE IN THE ARRS SECTION ABOUT THE OVERNIGHT ACFT. 2) ALTHOUGH WE NORMALLY ONLY DEPICT ACR GATES ON THE 10-7 DIAGRAM; ADD THE END GATE NUMBERS FOR THE ACR X TERMINAL. THEY REALLY STAND OUT WHEN THEY ARE LIT UP AT NIGHT; AND THAT WOULD GET US POINTED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. 3) HAVE SEVERAL PERSONS REVIEW THE DIAGRAM TO SEE IF THE DRAWING CAN BE REVISED ANY OTHER WAY. I ALSO STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT; UNTIL THE 10-7 PAGE CAN BE REVISED; A STATION NOTAM OR 'POSBD' BE PUBLISHED. IT IS HAPPENING ALMOST EVERY NIGHT TO CREWS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE BEFORE!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.