An EMB145 pilot felt rushed by local controller to exit the runway. Not being night vision adjusted ...

Attributes
ACN	768987
Time
Date	200801
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	768987
Events
Anomaly	excursion : runway non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We made a normal approach and landing. Immediately after touchdown the tower controller was yelling at us to get off the runway immediately. We had planned to exit at taxiway xb and this still looked like the best choice. Looking at the airport diagram it appeared that txwys X and xb connected at the runway (we have since looked at a blown up picture with our company and see that this is actually not the case). It was dusk and was difficult to see any difference between the pavement and grass as it was getting dark. We passed taxiway X and started our turnoff (again thinking X and xb were connected). Our turn was premature and we went off into the grass parallel to xb. By the time we realized our mistake; we were unable to stop or turn. Once in the grass; we notified ATC and tried to taxi out but were stuck. We had a tug come out and they pushed us out and pulled us to the gate. We made sure that no one was injured and there was no known damage done to the aircraft aside from mud on the gear. Contributing factors in this incident was that it was getting dark and hard to see different features of the surface on the ground. My eyes had not adjusted either (night vision). I also believe the frantic and erratic call by the controller led us to believe we needed to exit the runway especially quickly. In the future; I will try to ensure my proper position on the runway/taxiway. I also won't let an impatient controller encourage me to exit off the runway any earlier than I'm fully ready to.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB145 PILOT FELT RUSHED BY LOCAL CTLR TO EXIT THE RWY. NOT BEING NIGHT VISION ADJUSTED AND RUSHED; HE PICKED A NON TXWY TO EXIT THE RWY AND HIT MUD.

Narrative: WE MADE A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG. IMMEDIATELY AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE TWR CTLR WAS YELLING AT US TO GET OFF THE RWY IMMEDIATELY. WE HAD PLANNED TO EXIT AT TXWY XB AND THIS STILL LOOKED LIKE THE BEST CHOICE. LOOKING AT THE ARPT DIAGRAM IT APPEARED THAT TXWYS X AND XB CONNECTED AT THE RWY (WE HAVE SINCE LOOKED AT A BLOWN UP PICTURE WITH OUR COMPANY AND SEE THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY NOT THE CASE). IT WAS DUSK AND WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE ANY DIFFERENCE BTWN THE PAVEMENT AND GRASS AS IT WAS GETTING DARK. WE PASSED TXWY X AND STARTED OUR TURNOFF (AGAIN THINKING X AND XB WERE CONNECTED). OUR TURN WAS PREMATURE AND WE WENT OFF INTO THE GRASS PARALLEL TO XB. BY THE TIME WE REALIZED OUR MISTAKE; WE WERE UNABLE TO STOP OR TURN. ONCE IN THE GRASS; WE NOTIFIED ATC AND TRIED TO TAXI OUT BUT WERE STUCK. WE HAD A TUG COME OUT AND THEY PUSHED US OUT AND PULLED US TO THE GATE. WE MADE SURE THAT NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THERE WAS NO KNOWN DAMAGE DONE TO THE ACFT ASIDE FROM MUD ON THE GEAR. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS IN THIS INCIDENT WAS THAT IT WAS GETTING DARK AND HARD TO SEE DIFFERENT FEATURES OF THE SURFACE ON THE GND. MY EYES HAD NOT ADJUSTED EITHER (NIGHT VISION). I ALSO BELIEVE THE FRANTIC AND ERRATIC CALL BY THE CTLR LED US TO BELIEVE WE NEEDED TO EXIT THE RWY ESPECIALLY QUICKLY. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL TRY TO ENSURE MY PROPER POS ON THE RWY/TXWY. I ALSO WON'T LET AN IMPATIENT CTLR ENCOURAGE ME TO EXIT OFF THE RWY ANY EARLIER THAN I'M FULLY READY TO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

An EMB145 pilot felt rushed by local controller to exit the runway. Not being night vision adjusted and rushed; he picked a non taxiway to exit the runway and hit mud.