Pilot is concerned about a large drain at bhm that he feels should be better marked.

Attributes
ACN	601094
Time
Date	200311
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bhm.airport
State Reference	AL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9600 flight time type : 375
ASRS Report	601094
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000
ASRS Report	600971
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Airport
Situations
Airport	lighting : bhm.airport markings : bhm.airport runway surface condition : bhm.airport
Chart	airport : bhm.airport

Narrative:

After pushback from gate xx at bhm, we were instructed to taxi to runway 6 via a. There is a large drainage area between the ramp and taxiway a. Although the area is surrounded by blue taxi markers, it is not marked on the airport chart taxi page. The area is confusing at night with several other taxiway lights alongside. As we taxied to a we did not see this area until we were almost in it and we had to turn sharply right to avoid it. This 'no taxi' area should be marked on the taxi chart as it is a high traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT IS CONCERNED ABOUT A LARGE DRAIN AT BHM THAT HE FEELS SHOULD BE BETTER MARKED.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHBACK FROM GATE XX AT BHM, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TAXI TO RWY 6 VIA A. THERE IS A LARGE DRAINAGE AREA BETWEEN THE RAMP AND TXWY A. ALTHOUGH THE AREA IS SURROUNDED BY BLUE TAXI MARKERS, IT IS NOT MARKED ON THE ARPT CHART TAXI PAGE. THE AREA IS CONFUSING AT NIGHT WITH SEVERAL OTHER TXWY LIGHTS ALONGSIDE. AS WE TAXIED TO A WE DID NOT SEE THIS AREA UNTIL WE WERE ALMOST IN IT AND WE HAD TO TURN SHARPLY R TO AVOID IT. THIS 'NO TAXI' AREA SHOULD BE MARKED ON THE TAXI CHART AS IT IS A HIGH TFC.

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.