Narrative:

While leaving the jfk cargo ramp area, was instructed to expedite crossing runway 31R for landing traffic. This required a 90 degree left turn, followed by an immediate 45 degree turn to the right. When the clearance was given, I checked for arriving traffic, saw green taxi lights directly across the runway from my position and continued to taxi. My first officer called for me to stop. The nose of the aircraft had gone over the taxi edge. Although the nose gear was still on the taxiway, maintenance had to push us back so that we could make the 90 degree left turn. In order to comply with the request to cross the runway, I made a faulty assumption that my taxi route took me directly across the runway where there were more taxi lights to follow. In fact, the sides of the taxiway are poorly marked -- wands were used. Also, the overrun area was pavement and at night, blended in with the taxi area. Narrow txwys also were a factor. Although my airport diagram was readily available. I did not reference it as close as I should have -- especially since I seldom operate out of jfk. Lesson learned! Good crew coordination. However, was responsible for preventing the aircraft from leaving the taxiway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE PIC OF A NIGHT FREIGHTER OP ALMOST TAXIES OFF OF THE ASSIGNED TXWY WHEN HE MISREADS THE LIGHTING AT JFK, NY.

Narrative: WHILE LEAVING THE JFK CARGO RAMP AREA, WAS INSTRUCTED TO EXPEDITE XING RWY 31R FOR LNDG TFC. THIS REQUIRED A 90 DEG L TURN, FOLLOWED BY AN IMMEDIATE 45 DEG TURN TO THE R. WHEN THE CLRNC WAS GIVEN, I CHKED FOR ARRIVING TFC, SAW GREEN TAXI LIGHTS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE RWY FROM MY POS AND CONTINUED TO TAXI. MY FO CALLED FOR ME TO STOP. THE NOSE OF THE ACFT HAD GONE OVER THE TAXI EDGE. ALTHOUGH THE NOSE GEAR WAS STILL ON THE TXWY, MAINT HAD TO PUSH US BACK SO THAT WE COULD MAKE THE 90 DEG L TURN. IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUEST TO CROSS THE RWY, I MADE A FAULTY ASSUMPTION THAT MY TAXI RTE TOOK ME DIRECTLY ACROSS THE RWY WHERE THERE WERE MORE TAXI LIGHTS TO FOLLOW. IN FACT, THE SIDES OF THE TXWY ARE POORLY MARKED -- WANDS WERE USED. ALSO, THE OVERRUN AREA WAS PAVEMENT AND AT NIGHT, BLENDED IN WITH THE TAXI AREA. NARROW TXWYS ALSO WERE A FACTOR. ALTHOUGH MY ARPT DIAGRAM WAS READILY AVAILABLE. I DID NOT REF IT AS CLOSE AS I SHOULD HAVE -- ESPECIALLY SINCE I SELDOM OPERATE OUT OF JFK. LESSON LEARNED! GOOD CREW COORD. HOWEVER, WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PREVENTING THE ACFT FROM LEAVING THE TXWY.

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.