Narrative:

Exited runway 7 at orl at night in rain at A2 and asked for progressive to the FBO. Told to turn left on a and would see FBO sign on right; then take the first right turn to the ramp. All taxiway markings were difficult to see due to wear and rain. Saw the sign for the FBO and noticed two centerline turn markings: one slightly ahead with a less than 90 turn and one making a sharp right directly to the FBO sign. Proceeded in the direction of the FBO sign. No ramp or taxiway lights were in this location in the direction of the FBO. Heading toward the sign in a large paved area; however; about 1/2 way to the sign I noted I was no longer on a paved area and was well into the grass. Tarmac edge and grass were so well level that no sensory input suggested I was off the pavement. The transition from pavement to grass area was so level and the ground hard; I added slight power to avoid getting stuck and continued straight and back into paved ramp area without incident or conflict with objects. Upon review of the area the following morning; making a hard right would take you into a relatively large pavement area that further to the right narrows into what appears to be a non-movement area taxiway. Since we proceeded straight; I crossed a very flat; level grass area and back onto the ramp. Had I taken the second (not first right) the taxiway would have continued onto the ramp. Contributing causes were rain; worn taxiway markings; unfamiliarity with the airport layout. Better markings would have avoided the issue and asking ground for progressive from that point would have avoided the matter entirely.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT RPTS TAXIING OFF THE PAVED SURFACE ONTO THE GRASS AT ORL BECAUSE THE TXWY MARKINGS ARE FADED AND WORN.

Narrative: EXITED RUNWAY 7 AT ORL AT NIGHT IN RAIN AT A2 AND ASKED FOR PROGRESSIVE TO THE FBO. TOLD TO TURN LEFT ON A AND WOULD SEE FBO SIGN ON RIGHT; THEN TAKE THE FIRST RIGHT TURN TO THE RAMP. ALL TAXIWAY MARKINGS WERE DIFFICULT TO SEE DUE TO WEAR AND RAIN. SAW THE SIGN FOR THE FBO AND NOTICED TWO CENTERLINE TURN MARKINGS: ONE SLIGHTLY AHEAD WITH A LESS THAN 90 TURN AND ONE MAKING A SHARP RIGHT DIRECTLY TO THE FBO SIGN. PROCEEDED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE FBO SIGN. NO RAMP OR TAXIWAY LIGHTS WERE IN THIS LOCATION IN THE DIRECTION OF THE FBO. HEADING TOWARD THE SIGN IN A LARGE PAVED AREA; HOWEVER; ABOUT 1/2 WAY TO THE SIGN I NOTED I WAS NO LONGER ON A PAVED AREA AND WAS WELL INTO THE GRASS. TARMAC EDGE AND GRASS WERE SO WELL LEVEL THAT NO SENSORY INPUT SUGGESTED I WAS OFF THE PAVEMENT. THE TRANSITION FROM PAVEMENT TO GRASS AREA WAS SO LEVEL AND THE GROUND HARD; I ADDED SLIGHT POWER TO AVOID GETTING STUCK AND CONTINUED STRAIGHT AND BACK INTO PAVED RAMP AREA WITHOUT INCIDENT OR CONFLICT WITH OBJECTS. UPON REVIEW OF THE AREA THE FOLLOWING MORNING; MAKING A HARD RIGHT WOULD TAKE YOU INTO A RELATIVELY LARGE PAVEMENT AREA THAT FURTHER TO THE RIGHT NARROWS INTO WHAT APPEARS TO BE A NON-MOVEMENT AREA TAXIWAY. SINCE WE PROCEEDED STRAIGHT; I CROSSED A VERY FLAT; LEVEL GRASS AREA AND BACK ONTO THE RAMP. HAD I TAKEN THE SECOND (NOT FIRST RIGHT) THE TAXIWAY WOULD HAVE CONTINUED ONTO THE RAMP. CONTRIBUTING CAUSES WERE RAIN; WORN TAXIWAY MARKINGS; UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRPORT LAYOUT. BETTER MARKINGS WOULD HAVE AVOIDED THE ISSUE AND ASKING GROUND FOR PROGRESSIVE FROM THAT POINT WOULD HAVE AVOIDED THE MATTER ENTIRELY.

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.