Thinking he was on the ramp, captain began to taxi from taxiway across grass to the ramp.

Attributes
ACN	236088
Time
Date	199303
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
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	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	236088
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 21500 flight time type : 5200
ASRS Report	236012
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Following a normal landing and rollout on runway 35L at mem, control of aircraft was given to captain at taxi speed approaching taxiway gg. A 90 degree right turn was accomplished, followed by a left turn on taxiway aa. I commenced the after landing check which requires my head to be 'in the cockpit' for several items. During this time the captain made a right turn toward the gate resulting in a taxiway excursion. We came to a stop on the grass median between taxiway aa and the ramp. We were tugged to the gate where the passenger were deplaned via the jetway in the normal manner. Post-flight walk around revealed no aircraft damage. If the blue taxiway lights were closer together it may lessen the illusion a taxiway was present between taxiway aa and the ramp. Supplemental information from acn 236012: I thought I was turning up on the ramp and was following green taxi lights northbound.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THINKING HE WAS ON THE RAMP, CAPT BEGAN TO TAXI FROM TXWY ACROSS GRASS TO THE RAMP.

Narrative: FOLLOWING A NORMAL LNDG AND ROLLOUT ON RWY 35L AT MEM, CTL OF ACFT WAS GIVEN TO CAPT AT TAXI SPD APCHING TXWY GG. A 90 DEG R TURN WAS ACCOMPLISHED, FOLLOWED BY A L TURN ON TXWY AA. I COMMENCED THE AFTER LNDG CHK WHICH REQUIRES MY HEAD TO BE 'IN THE COCKPIT' FOR SEVERAL ITEMS. DURING THIS TIME THE CAPT MADE A R TURN TOWARD THE GATE RESULTING IN A TXWY EXCURSION. WE CAME TO A STOP ON THE GRASS MEDIAN BTWN TXWY AA AND THE RAMP. WE WERE TUGGED TO THE GATE WHERE THE PAX WERE DEPLANED VIA THE JETWAY IN THE NORMAL MANNER. POST-FLT WALK AROUND REVEALED NO ACFT DAMAGE. IF THE BLUE TXWY LIGHTS WERE CLOSER TOGETHER IT MAY LESSEN THE ILLUSION A TXWY WAS PRESENT BTWN TXWY AA AND THE RAMP. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 236012: I THOUGHT I WAS TURNING UP ON THE RAMP AND WAS FOLLOWING GREEN TAXI LIGHTS NBOUND.

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.