Narrative:

Conditions were 6500 ft overcast, night, dry pavement, last leg of a 4 leg day dfw to ord. At approximately XA35L we left spot X from the gate at dfw. We were given a clearance, standard taxi to runway 17R. We entered taxiway jy then we were told to go to runway 17R via taxiway J, ef. We taxied on taxiway jy across taxiway Z and straight ahead to what we thought was taxiway J as depicted on the dfw commercial plate 60-9 to go to taxiway ef hold position. As it was dark and both the captain and myself had not exited spot X or Y recently, I focused on the chart as this was a very short taxi. The captain asked if taxiway jy will take you to taxiway J. I responded yes it will according to the chart. As we proceeded it appeared we taxied onto a ramp of some sort as we saw an aircraft in the distance parked on the ramp. We now assumed the chart was wrong, but could not turn back as we were past taxiway Y. We then taxied a short distance and exited back onto taxiway J. The chart led us to believe we could taxi directly from taxiway jy to taxiway J and there was nothing in between, ie, a ramp. It is unlikely this occurrence would have taken place had the chart been correct. Suggest the plate be updated. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the first officer said that the non depicted ramp area was well lighted and marked except on the chart. The flight crew realized what had happened and were happy to also see an exit taxiway that brought them back to their route.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PUB DEFICIENCY. A RAMP AREA AT DFW IS NOT DEPICTED ON THE COMMERCIAL OR THE NOAA CHARTS.

Narrative: CONDITIONS WERE 6500 FT OVCST, NIGHT, DRY PAVEMENT, LAST LEG OF A 4 LEG DAY DFW TO ORD. AT APPROX XA35L WE LEFT SPOT X FROM THE GATE AT DFW. WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC, STANDARD TAXI TO RWY 17R. WE ENTERED TXWY JY THEN WE WERE TOLD TO GO TO RWY 17R VIA TXWY J, EF. WE TAXIED ON TXWY JY ACROSS TXWY Z AND STRAIGHT AHEAD TO WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS TXWY J AS DEPICTED ON THE DFW COMMERCIAL PLATE 60-9 TO GO TO TXWY EF HOLD POS. AS IT WAS DARK AND BOTH THE CAPT AND MYSELF HAD NOT EXITED SPOT X OR Y RECENTLY, I FOCUSED ON THE CHART AS THIS WAS A VERY SHORT TAXI. THE CAPT ASKED IF TXWY JY WILL TAKE YOU TO TXWY J. I RESPONDED YES IT WILL ACCORDING TO THE CHART. AS WE PROCEEDED IT APPEARED WE TAXIED ONTO A RAMP OF SOME SORT AS WE SAW AN ACFT IN THE DISTANCE PARKED ON THE RAMP. WE NOW ASSUMED THE CHART WAS WRONG, BUT COULD NOT TURN BACK AS WE WERE PAST TXWY Y. WE THEN TAXIED A SHORT DISTANCE AND EXITED BACK ONTO TXWY J. THE CHART LED US TO BELIEVE WE COULD TAXI DIRECTLY FROM TXWY JY TO TXWY J AND THERE WAS NOTHING IN BTWN, IE, A RAMP. IT IS UNLIKELY THIS OCCURRENCE WOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE HAD THE CHART BEEN CORRECT. SUGGEST THE PLATE BE UPDATED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE FO SAID THAT THE NON DEPICTED RAMP AREA WAS WELL LIGHTED AND MARKED EXCEPT ON THE CHART. THE FLC REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND WERE HAPPY TO ALSO SEE AN EXIT TXWY THAT BROUGHT THEM BACK TO THEIR RTE.

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.