Narrative:

We were instructed on taxi out to give way to a B737 from our right. So we began our taxi from our ramp to runway 12R via taxiway west then taxiway H. We saw B737 approach from the right but they were on taxiway G and were not a factor (ground did not say what taxiway B737 was on). We were running the taxi checklist on taxiway west and my eyes were looking down at the electronic checklist on my mfd. When I looked up I saw grass straight ahead and said something to the captain who stopped the aircraft. The aircraft's main gear was in the grass about 2 ft from the pavement. Ground control was contacted and coordination between the airport authority/authorized and company began. The aircraft was later moved with no damage to the gear or structure and there was no damage to airport property. In hindsight; I can see the confusion at night between the transition from taxiway west to taxiway H. It looks as though you can continue straight ahead to taxiway G. There should be a sign of some sort; like a runway direction sign; where txwys west and H meet. There is evidence of skid marks at this intersection from other aircraft who have almost continued straight ahead.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CREW WAS DISTRACTED LOOKING FOR GND TFC AT SAT AND THEN SWITCHED TO CHKLIST COMPLETION. THEY TAXIED OFF THE END OF TXWY W THINKING THEY COULD CONTINUE TO TXWY G. NO SIGNS INDICATED A TURN ON TO TXWY H REQUIRED.

Narrative: WE WERE INSTRUCTED ON TAXI OUT TO GIVE WAY TO A B737 FROM OUR R. SO WE BEGAN OUR TAXI FROM OUR RAMP TO RWY 12R VIA TXWY W THEN TXWY H. WE SAW B737 APCH FROM THE R BUT THEY WERE ON TXWY G AND WERE NOT A FACTOR (GND DID NOT SAY WHAT TXWY B737 WAS ON). WE WERE RUNNING THE TAXI CHKLIST ON TXWY W AND MY EYES WERE LOOKING DOWN AT THE ELECTRONIC CHKLIST ON MY MFD. WHEN I LOOKED UP I SAW GRASS STRAIGHT AHEAD AND SAID SOMETHING TO THE CAPT WHO STOPPED THE ACFT. THE ACFT'S MAIN GEAR WAS IN THE GRASS ABOUT 2 FT FROM THE PAVEMENT. GND CTL WAS CONTACTED AND COORD BTWN THE ARPT AUTH AND COMPANY BEGAN. THE ACFT WAS LATER MOVED WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE GEAR OR STRUCTURE AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO ARPT PROPERTY. IN HINDSIGHT; I CAN SEE THE CONFUSION AT NIGHT BTWN THE TRANSITION FROM TXWY W TO TXWY H. IT LOOKS AS THOUGH YOU CAN CONTINUE STRAIGHT AHEAD TO TXWY G. THERE SHOULD BE A SIGN OF SOME SORT; LIKE A RWY DIRECTION SIGN; WHERE TXWYS W AND H MEET. THERE IS EVIDENCE OF SKID MARKS AT THIS INTXN FROM OTHER ACFT WHO HAVE ALMOST CONTINUED STRAIGHT AHEAD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.