Captain of medium large transport taxiing braked to avoid excursion from jog in taxiway.

Attributes
ACN	138609
Time
Date	199003
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	138609
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

On taxiout for takeoff at pit we were assigned runway 28L, which is not the usual runway for takeoff. I looked at the 20-9 page, airport diagram, and remarked to the first officer that the taxi would be a straight shot down taxiway tango. On leaving ramp area outer taxiway, however, I saw grass ahead and braked hard to make an unforeseen jog over to taxiway tango. The conditions were late twilight and clear. Things outside were gray. The taxi lines were faded. This type aircraft has taxi lights aiming slightly left and right, leaving somewhat of a black hole straight ahead. The 20-9 page does not make clear that there is a jog on this route. At the dead end there are no visibility warnings. I recommend pit install a reflective barrier/some kind of lighting, that the 20-9 page be revised to more accurately show the jog, and that the taxi lines be painted often. Occurrences like this point out that we must be constantly vigilant, but more so when in unfamiliar places.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF MLG TAXIING BRAKED TO AVOID EXCURSION FROM JOG IN TXWY.

Narrative: ON TAXIOUT FOR TKOF AT PIT WE WERE ASSIGNED RWY 28L, WHICH IS NOT THE USUAL RWY FOR TKOF. I LOOKED AT THE 20-9 PAGE, ARPT DIAGRAM, AND REMARKED TO THE F/O THAT THE TAXI WOULD BE A STRAIGHT SHOT DOWN TXWY TANGO. ON LEAVING RAMP AREA OUTER TXWY, HOWEVER, I SAW GRASS AHEAD AND BRAKED HARD TO MAKE AN UNFORESEEN JOG OVER TO TXWY TANGO. THE CONDITIONS WERE LATE TWILIGHT AND CLEAR. THINGS OUTSIDE WERE GRAY. THE TAXI LINES WERE FADED. THIS TYPE ACFT HAS TAXI LIGHTS AIMING SLIGHTLY LEFT AND RIGHT, LEAVING SOMEWHAT OF A BLACK HOLE STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE 20-9 PAGE DOES NOT MAKE CLEAR THAT THERE IS A JOG ON THIS RTE. AT THE DEAD END THERE ARE NO VIS WARNINGS. I RECOMMEND PIT INSTALL A REFLECTIVE BARRIER/SOME KIND OF LIGHTING, THAT THE 20-9 PAGE BE REVISED TO MORE ACCURATELY SHOW THE JOG, AND THAT THE TAXI LINES BE PAINTED OFTEN. OCCURRENCES LIKE THIS POINT OUT THAT WE MUST BE CONSTANTLY VIGILANT, BUT MORE SO WHEN IN UNFAMILIAR PLACES.

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.