Narrative:

Landed uneventfully on runway 17R. Slowed to taxi speed and exited runway to taxiway C1. Crossed taxiway C and entered onto ramp area. Began a right turn toward the gate; and shortly thereafter the aircraft slowed to a stop. At that point; I suspected that the aircraft was not completely on the prepared surface. I called station personnel; who drove out to the aircraft and confirmed that both main gear were off the prepared surface. Passenger were deplaned via air-stairs and escorted to the terminal. There were no injuries. No aircraft damage was readily apparent. This part of the ramp is not well lit; lighting from the terminal causes glare when approaching from taxiway C1. Taxiway edge lighting is not installed; reflectors installed at the right edge of the taxiway C1/ramp area have been damaged to the point that no reflective material exists. I could not see the taxi line; which stops at the very edge of the ramp area; possibly due to the aforementioned glare. The grassy area to the right of the taxiway/ramp where the excursion occurred was covered with smooth and flat snow; which gave an appearance very similar to the concrete of the ramp. The configuration of the ramp pavement may have also been a contributor; as the ramp area to the left of the ramp entrance begins closer to taxiway C than it does to the right. Taxiway and ramp markings; reflectors; and lighting should be evaluated for improvement. Ballpark-style lighting at the terminal should be examined to determine if it can be better adjusted to reduce or eliminate glare at the ramp entry point.supplemental information from acn 719150: the fire department came out to assist and told us that that area is a known problem and scheduled for construction. He also stated to us that he had also driven off a taxiway into the grass the same night.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB145 FLC TAXIED OFF THE PAVED SURFACE AT ABI; NOTING THE TXWY WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE.

Narrative: LANDED UNEVENTFULLY ON RWY 17R. SLOWED TO TAXI SPEED AND EXITED RWY TO TXWY C1. CROSSED TXWY C AND ENTERED ONTO RAMP AREA. BEGAN A R TURN TOWARD THE GATE; AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ACFT SLOWED TO A STOP. AT THAT POINT; I SUSPECTED THAT THE ACFT WAS NOT COMPLETELY ON THE PREPARED SURFACE. I CALLED STATION PERSONNEL; WHO DROVE OUT TO THE ACFT AND CONFIRMED THAT BOTH MAIN GEAR WERE OFF THE PREPARED SURFACE. PAX WERE DEPLANED VIA AIR-STAIRS AND ESCORTED TO THE TERMINAL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. NO ACFT DAMAGE WAS READILY APPARENT. THIS PART OF THE RAMP IS NOT WELL LIT; LIGHTING FROM THE TERMINAL CAUSES GLARE WHEN APCHING FROM TXWY C1. TXWY EDGE LIGHTING IS NOT INSTALLED; REFLECTORS INSTALLED AT THE R EDGE OF THE TXWY C1/RAMP AREA HAVE BEEN DAMAGED TO THE POINT THAT NO REFLECTIVE MATERIAL EXISTS. I COULD NOT SEE THE TAXI LINE; WHICH STOPS AT THE VERY EDGE OF THE RAMP AREA; POSSIBLY DUE TO THE AFOREMENTIONED GLARE. THE GRASSY AREA TO THE R OF THE TXWY/RAMP WHERE THE EXCURSION OCCURRED WAS COVERED WITH SMOOTH AND FLAT SNOW; WHICH GAVE AN APPEARANCE VERY SIMILAR TO THE CONCRETE OF THE RAMP. THE CONFIGURATION OF THE RAMP PAVEMENT MAY HAVE ALSO BEEN A CONTRIBUTOR; AS THE RAMP AREA TO THE LEFT OF THE RAMP ENTRANCE BEGINS CLOSER TO TXWY C THAN IT DOES TO THE RIGHT. TXWY AND RAMP MARKINGS; REFLECTORS; AND LIGHTING SHOULD BE EVALUATED FOR IMPROVEMENT. BALLPARK-STYLE LIGHTING AT THE TERMINAL SHOULD BE EXAMINED TO DETERMINE IF IT CAN BE BETTER ADJUSTED TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE GLARE AT THE RAMP ENTRY POINT.SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 719150: THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME OUT TO ASSIST AND TOLD US THAT THAT AREA IS A KNOWN PROB AND SCHEDULED FOR CONSTRUCTION. HE ALSO STATED TO US THAT HE HAD ALSO DRIVEN OFF A TXWY INTO THE GRASS THE SAME NIGHT.

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.