Narrative:

During taxi from ramp to active runway on uncontrolled airport, we selected a taxiway that was too narrow and had a weight limit that was below our aircraft weight. During the transition from one taxiway to the other (right turn) our right main gear left the taxiway and entered the soft turf. We became stuck and needed to be towed out. Factors involved: 1) the commercial chart airport diagram did not contain any restrs on the use of the taxiway, nor were there any airport signs restricting use. Our route procedures manuals had the airport diagram and a note restricting the use of the taxiway in question, but we did not reference it because we normally use it to find parking information, fuel vendor information, and deice information, none of which were needed. 2) the marshaller gave us an initial taxi instruction and to turn to the right. Once we started our turn, we could plainly see the taxiway in question. This route would be the shortest route to our planned departure runway. Since there was no tower in operation, we didn't receive specific taxi instructions. 3) the air carrier operating characteristics are one of an extreme emphasis on time. I feel that this causes people (all employees) to be rushed in their job duties. This can and does lead to missed information and errors. This, combined with operations on the 'back side of the clock,' can become a serious operational liability.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 EXCURSION ON TXWY AT COU.

Narrative: DURING TAXI FROM RAMP TO ACTIVE RWY ON UNCTLED ARPT, WE SELECTED A TXWY THAT WAS TOO NARROW AND HAD A WT LIMIT THAT WAS BELOW OUR ACFT WT. DURING THE TRANSITION FROM ONE TXWY TO THE OTHER (R TURN) OUR R MAIN GEAR LEFT THE TXWY AND ENTERED THE SOFT TURF. WE BECAME STUCK AND NEEDED TO BE TOWED OUT. FACTORS INVOLVED: 1) THE COMMERCIAL CHART ARPT DIAGRAM DID NOT CONTAIN ANY RESTRS ON THE USE OF THE TXWY, NOR WERE THERE ANY ARPT SIGNS RESTRICTING USE. OUR RTE PROCS MANUALS HAD THE ARPT DIAGRAM AND A NOTE RESTRICTING THE USE OF THE TXWY IN QUESTION, BUT WE DID NOT REF IT BECAUSE WE NORMALLY USE IT TO FIND PARKING INFO, FUEL VENDOR INFO, AND DEICE INFO, NONE OF WHICH WERE NEEDED. 2) THE MARSHALLER GAVE US AN INITIAL TAXI INSTRUCTION AND TO TURN TO THE R. ONCE WE STARTED OUR TURN, WE COULD PLAINLY SEE THE TXWY IN QUESTION. THIS RTE WOULD BE THE SHORTEST RTE TO OUR PLANNED DEP RWY. SINCE THERE WAS NO TWR IN OP, WE DIDN'T RECEIVE SPECIFIC TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. 3) THE ACR OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS ARE ONE OF AN EXTREME EMPHASIS ON TIME. I FEEL THAT THIS CAUSES PEOPLE (ALL EMPLOYEES) TO BE RUSHED IN THEIR JOB DUTIES. THIS CAN AND DOES LEAD TO MISSED INFO AND ERRORS. THIS, COMBINED WITH OPS ON THE 'BACK SIDE OF THE CLOCK,' CAN BECOME A SERIOUS OPERATIONAL LIABILITY.

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.