Narrative:

We were cleared to taxi to the active runway and as we approached where the taxiway/ramp turns into taxiway only, we see a B727 parked, opposite direction, engines running, probably awaiting a gate. He was offset to the right on a smaller portion of ramp space just prior to where the taxiway leaves the ramp behind. We felt like we had enough room to pass on the left side. I was looking out the right side window trying to judge where our DC10 wingtip would pass by the B727 wingtip. As we approached an abeam position the B727 had received clearance to taxi and began moving. The captain had taxied a few ft left of taxiway centerline to give us more room. We cleared the B727, but an unknown aircraft behind us told us on the radio we were 'on the asphalt.' we didn't think we had left the taxiway surface, perhaps the left side tires on the left truck were rolling on asphalt. The rest of flight was normal. In retrospect, it would have been wiser to hold short of the B727 and ask him to move out of our way.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DC10 FLC TAXIES OFF THE CTRLINE OF A TXWY IN AN EFFORT TO GET BY A B727 THAT WAS WAITING FOR A GATE AND THE L GEAR WENT OFF THE CONCRETE AND ONTO THE ASPHALT SHOULDER.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI TO THE ACTIVE RWY AND AS WE APCHED WHERE THE TXWY/RAMP TURNS INTO TXWY ONLY, WE SEE A B727 PARKED, OPPOSITE DIRECTION, ENGS RUNNING, PROBABLY AWAITING A GATE. HE WAS OFFSET TO THE R ON A SMALLER PORTION OF RAMP SPACE JUST PRIOR TO WHERE THE TXWY LEAVES THE RAMP BEHIND. WE FELT LIKE WE HAD ENOUGH ROOM TO PASS ON THE L SIDE. I WAS LOOKING OUT THE R SIDE WINDOW TRYING TO JUDGE WHERE OUR DC10 WINGTIP WOULD PASS BY THE B727 WINGTIP. AS WE APCHED AN ABEAM POS THE B727 HAD RECEIVED CLRNC TO TAXI AND BEGAN MOVING. THE CAPT HAD TAXIED A FEW FT L OF TXWY CTRLINE TO GIVE US MORE ROOM. WE CLRED THE B727, BUT AN UNKNOWN ACFT BEHIND US TOLD US ON THE RADIO WE WERE 'ON THE ASPHALT.' WE DIDN'T THINK WE HAD LEFT THE TXWY SURFACE, PERHAPS THE L SIDE TIRES ON THE L TRUCK WERE ROLLING ON ASPHALT. THE REST OF FLT WAS NORMAL. IN RETROSPECT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN WISER TO HOLD SHORT OF THE B727 AND ASK HIM TO MOVE OUT OF OUR WAY.

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.