Narrative:

Taxiing on the ramp in atl, I came upon a disabled aircraft Z (tow bar broken while under tow) at the end of the ramp and an aircraft Y on the active taxiway trying to enter the ramp. From my vantage point, it appeared that I could transition between the aircraft, clearing up the ramp congestion. However, when I taxied closer, it became apparent I could not fit. As I was stopping, the crew requested that we stop. I speculate that the apparent aircraft movement made them nervous. We waited until the aircraft Z continued, then cleared the ramp without incident. The aircraft Z did not have navigation lights on. Aircraft Y again moved after decision was made to transition. Also, a desire on my part to correct a situation that was rapidly becoming a lag jam which was apparent upon taxiing closer and changing the angle of view. I should have waited until aircraft Z replaced the tow bar. The decision to attempt to expedite the situation was not made out of haste. I was trying to contribute to the solution, not the problem. Stopping and waiting for the aircraft Z to move was the best action to take.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRCRAFT X AND AN AIRCRAFT Y ON THE RAMP AT ATL WERE CLOSE TO CRITICAL GND CONFLICT TRYING TO MANEUVER AROUND A AIRCRAFT Z WITH A BROKEN TOW BAR.

Narrative: TAXIING ON THE RAMP IN ATL, I CAME UPON A DISABLED AIRCRAFT Z (TOW BAR BROKEN WHILE UNDER TOW) AT THE END OF THE RAMP AND AN AIRCRAFT Y ON THE ACTIVE TXWY TRYING TO ENTER THE RAMP. FROM MY VANTAGE POINT, IT APPEARED THAT I COULD TRANSITION BTWN THE ACFT, CLRING UP THE RAMP CONGESTION. HOWEVER, WHEN I TAXIED CLOSER, IT BECAME APPARENT I COULD NOT FIT. AS I WAS STOPPING, THE CREW REQUESTED THAT WE STOP. I SPECULATE THAT THE APPARENT ACFT MOVEMENT MADE THEM NERVOUS. WE WAITED UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT Z CONTINUED, THEN CLRED THE RAMP WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT Z DID NOT HAVE NAV LIGHTS ON. AIRCRAFT Y AGAIN MOVED AFTER DECISION WAS MADE TO TRANSITION. ALSO, A DESIRE ON MY PART TO CORRECT A SIT THAT WAS RAPIDLY BECOMING A LAG JAM WHICH WAS APPARENT UPON TAXIING CLOSER AND CHANGING THE ANGLE OF VIEW. I SHOULD HAVE WAITED UNTIL AIRCRAFT Z REPLACED THE TOW BAR. THE DECISION TO ATTEMPT TO EXPEDITE THE SIT WAS NOT MADE OUT OF HASTE. I WAS TRYING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SOLUTION, NOT THE PROB. STOPPING AND WAITING FOR THE AIRCRAFT Z TO MOVE WAS THE BEST ACTION TO TAKE.

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.