An MD80 flight crew became disoriented during taxi in low visibility. Excursion from taxiway.

Attributes
ACN	320690
Time
Date	199511
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	320690
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	320909
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On taxiway B near A19, captain made a tight turn near taxiway lights. Stopped aircraft and asked for guideman to ensure missing lights. Continued uneventfully as far as crew could tell. Visibility very poor due to rain and fog. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter (first officer) states that the aircraft did exit the taxiway. The captain had become disoriented in the low visibility and contrasting lights. Once the flight crew found themselves uncertain, they decided not to proceed further. The solid cement taxiway at ord complicated the situation, the flight crew was unable to differentiate the areas between txwys. Normally these areas are easy to discern because they are grass. Taxi was delayed approximately 8 mins. Supplemental information from acn 320909: crew couldn't determine taxi centerline and felt close to taxiway lights.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FLC BECAME DISORIENTED DURING TAXI IN LOW VISIBILITY. EXCURSION FROM TXWY.

Narrative: ON TXWY B NEAR A19, CAPT MADE A TIGHT TURN NEAR TXWY LIGHTS. STOPPED ACFT AND ASKED FOR GUIDEMAN TO ENSURE MISSING LIGHTS. CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY AS FAR AS CREW COULD TELL. VISIBILITY VERY POOR DUE TO RAIN AND FOG. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR (FO) STATES THAT THE ACFT DID EXIT THE TXWY. THE CAPT HAD BECOME DISORIENTED IN THE LOW VISIBILITY AND CONTRASTING LIGHTS. ONCE THE FLC FOUND THEMSELVES UNCERTAIN, THEY DECIDED NOT TO PROCEED FURTHER. THE SOLID CEMENT TXWY AT ORD COMPLICATED THE SIT, THE FLC WAS UNABLE TO DIFFERENTIATE THE AREAS BTWN TXWYS. NORMALLY THESE AREAS ARE EASY TO DISCERN BECAUSE THEY ARE GRASS. TAXI WAS DELAYED APPROX 8 MINS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 320909: CREW COULDN'T DETERMINE TAXI CTRLINE AND FELT CLOSE TO TXWY LIGHTS.

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.