Narrative:

We were landing at manassas runway 34R on a dark night, VFR conditions, with 2 other aircraft in the pattern. Taxiway B3 is about 1000 ft down the runway and appeared easily 'makable.' under usual braking we arrived at taxiway B3 and turned between the blue lights only to find that we were into the dirt and not on the taxiway. No damage to aircraft or taxi lights, just extremely embarrassed. Controllers instructed pilots to use this turn-off which angles back at about 45 degrees (135 degree turn). We were extremely lucky to taxi over the dirt and cut the corner with no apparent harm done. Lighting could be improved on the turn-off which would have helped. Pilot will certainly be much more careful in the future. Once is enough.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LOW-TIME PVT PLT, LNDG AT HEF DURING VMC NIGHT CONDITIONS, MISJUDGED THE TXWY TURN-OFF AND ENDED UP IN THE DIRT.

Narrative: WE WERE LNDG AT MANASSAS RWY 34R ON A DARK NIGHT, VFR CONDITIONS, WITH 2 OTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN. TXWY B3 IS ABOUT 1000 FT DOWN THE RWY AND APPEARED EASILY 'MAKABLE.' UNDER USUAL BRAKING WE ARRIVED AT TXWY B3 AND TURNED BTWN THE BLUE LIGHTS ONLY TO FIND THAT WE WERE INTO THE DIRT AND NOT ON THE TXWY. NO DAMAGE TO ACFT OR TAXI LIGHTS, JUST EXTREMELY EMBARRASSED. CTLRS INSTRUCTED PLTS TO USE THIS TURN-OFF WHICH ANGLES BACK AT ABOUT 45 DEGS (135 DEG TURN). WE WERE EXTREMELY LUCKY TO TAXI OVER THE DIRT AND CUT THE CORNER WITH NO APPARENT HARM DONE. LIGHTING COULD BE IMPROVED ON THE TURN-OFF WHICH WOULD HAVE HELPED. PLT WILL CERTAINLY BE MUCH MORE CAREFUL IN THE FUTURE. ONCE IS ENOUGH.

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.