Narrative:

After completing normal pwrback and facing west, ground control cleared us to reverse course and taxi east to takeoff on runway 9. I cleared the zone to my right for a right turn reversal. At a north heading in the turn, an aircraft on taxiway nb was taxiing with all landing, taxi lights on, partially blinding me. When that aircraft turned off his lights, I immediately saw grass underneath us and called out 'we're in the grass!' we stopped and notified ground control and the company. At no time did I note any lights delineating ramp from grass in our course reversal. Suggest lighting the demarcation of grass and ramp to avoid this type incident in the future. No injuries or damage occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 CREW DEPARTING THE GATE IS BLINDED BY LIGHTS OF ANOTHER TAXIING ACFT AND TAXIED OFF THE POORLY LIT AND MARKED RAMP.

Narrative: AFTER COMPLETING NORMAL PWRBACK AND FACING W, GND CTL CLRED US TO REVERSE COURSE AND TAXI E TO TKOF ON RWY 9. I CLRED THE ZONE TO MY R FOR A R TURN REVERSAL. AT A N HDG IN THE TURN, AN ACFT ON TXWY NB WAS TAXIING WITH ALL LNDG, TAXI LIGHTS ON, PARTIALLY BLINDING ME. WHEN THAT ACFT TURNED OFF HIS LIGHTS, I IMMEDIATELY SAW GRASS UNDERNEATH US AND CALLED OUT 'WE'RE IN THE GRASS!' WE STOPPED AND NOTIFIED GND CTL AND THE COMPANY. AT NO TIME DID I NOTE ANY LIGHTS DELINEATING RAMP FROM GRASS IN OUR COURSE REVERSAL. SUGGEST LIGHTING THE DEMARCATION OF GRASS AND RAMP TO AVOID THIS TYPE INCIDENT IN THE FUTURE. NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE OCCURRED.

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.