Captain of air carrier large transport aircraft inadvertently taxied off taxiway en route to gate re...

Attributes
ACN	235955
Time
Date	199303
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 12500 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	235955
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While taxiing on 'arc' taxiway toward 'V' taxiway to proceed to terminal after landing on runway 3C, due to various conditions including taxiway lights inoperative, numerous snow removal vehicles plowing the vicinity of 'arc,' 'V,' and 'west' intersection and inappropriate tower control instructions, the aircraft nosewheel left the hard surface of 'arc' taxiway by about 3 ft while attempting to turn onto 'V' taxiway. After proper inspection by a mechanic and under his guidance, the aircraft was returned to the hard surface under its own power. Primary causal factors were a section of inoperative lights on 'arc' taxiway just before the 'V' and 'west' intersection which, with the accumulated snow, gave the impression we had reached the intersection. In addition, the tower operator, who was also handling other landing traffic, insisted we should turn at that location to enter 'V' taxiway. The error was discovered when we felt the nosewheel leave the hard surface. Probably overreliance on the tower operator's instructions was the major cause of the excursion. In the future, if it doesn't look right, I will make sure I have the situation resolved before moving the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF ACR LGT ACFT INADVERTENTLY TAXIED OFF TXWY ENRTE TO GATE RESULTING IN ACFT BEING TEMPORARILY STRANDED.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING ON 'ARC' TXWY TOWARD 'V' TXWY TO PROCEED TO TERMINAL AFTER LNDG ON RWY 3C, DUE TO VARIOUS CONDITIONS INCLUDING TXWY LIGHTS INOP, NUMEROUS SNOW REMOVAL VEHICLES PLOWING THE VICINITY OF 'ARC,' 'V,' AND 'W' INTXN AND INAPPROPRIATE TWR CTL INSTRUCTIONS, THE ACFT NOSEWHEEL LEFT THE HARD SURFACE OF 'ARC' TXWY BY ABOUT 3 FT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN ONTO 'V' TXWY. AFTER PROPER INSPECTION BY A MECH AND UNDER HIS GUIDANCE, THE ACFT WAS RETURNED TO THE HARD SURFACE UNDER ITS OWN PWR. PRIMARY CAUSAL FACTORS WERE A SECTION OF INOP LIGHTS ON 'ARC' TXWY JUST BEFORE THE 'V' AND 'W' INTXN WHICH, WITH THE ACCUMULATED SNOW, GAVE THE IMPRESSION WE HAD REACHED THE INTXN. IN ADDITION, THE TWR OPERATOR, WHO WAS ALSO HANDLING OTHER LNDG TFC, INSISTED WE SHOULD TURN AT THAT LOCATION TO ENTER 'V' TXWY. THE ERROR WAS DISCOVERED WHEN WE FELT THE NOSEWHEEL LEAVE THE HARD SURFACE. PROBABLY OVERRELIANCE ON THE TWR OPERATOR'S INSTRUCTIONS WAS THE MAJOR CAUSE OF THE EXCURSION. IN THE FUTURE, IF IT DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT, I WILL MAKE SURE I HAVE THE SIT RESOLVED BEFORE MOVING THE ACFT.

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.

Captain of air carrier large transport aircraft inadvertently taxied off taxiway en route to gate resulting in aircraft being temporarily stranded.