Narrative:

I was in the second jumpseat. The captain was cleared for takeoff and was turning from eastbound taxiway B onto runway 25R. The captain mistook the right side runway lights for the centerline lights and turned too soon which would have led to the aircraft taxiing off runway. I was looking in another direction at the time and did not have a good vantage point from the second jumpseat. The other relief pilot in the first jumpseat noticed the incorrect taxi path and immediately instructed the captain of her error and directed her to straighten out the aircraft. The flying first officer and first observer agreed that the path of the aircraft did not cross any runway lights so we continued with the takeoff. The first observer was very alert and quick to call the error. Supplemental information from acn 795296: I noticed the overshoot and alerted her to 'stop the turn!' and said we are too close to the edge lights. The flight was delayed 2 hours prior to the event due to a maintenance problem. Supplemental information from acn 795295: first officer realized the turn was too tight and cautioned the captain immediately to straighten out turn. Captain then realized her disorientation problem; turned back left to regain centerline. First officer's evaluated right side of runway edge to determine lights nor excursion of runway occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE TAXIING ONTO THE RWY; RELIEF PLT ABOARD B747-400 ALERTS THE CAPT SHE IS ALIGNED WITH THE RWY EDGE LIGHTS VICE THE CTRLINE.

Narrative: I WAS IN THE SECOND JUMPSEAT. THE CAPT WAS CLRED FOR TKOF AND WAS TURNING FROM EBOUND TXWY B ONTO RWY 25R. THE CAPT MISTOOK THE R SIDE RWY LIGHTS FOR THE CTRLINE LIGHTS AND TURNED TOO SOON WHICH WOULD HAVE LED TO THE ACFT TAXIING OFF RWY. I WAS LOOKING IN ANOTHER DIRECTION AT THE TIME AND DID NOT HAVE A GOOD VANTAGE POINT FROM THE SECOND JUMPSEAT. THE OTHER RELIEF PLT IN THE FIRST JUMPSEAT NOTICED THE INCORRECT TAXI PATH AND IMMEDIATELY INSTRUCTED THE CAPT OF HER ERROR AND DIRECTED HER TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE ACFT. THE FLYING FO AND FIRST OBSERVER AGREED THAT THE PATH OF THE ACFT DID NOT CROSS ANY RWY LIGHTS SO WE CONTINUED WITH THE TKOF. THE FIRST OBSERVER WAS VERY ALERT AND QUICK TO CALL THE ERROR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 795296: I NOTICED THE OVERSHOOT AND ALERTED HER TO 'STOP THE TURN!' AND SAID WE ARE TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE LIGHTS. THE FLT WAS DELAYED 2 HRS PRIOR TO THE EVENT DUE TO A MAINT PROB. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 795295: FO REALIZED THE TURN WAS TOO TIGHT AND CAUTIONED THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY TO STRAIGHTEN OUT TURN. CAPT THEN REALIZED HER DISORIENTATION PROB; TURNED BACK L TO REGAIN CTRLINE. FO'S EVALUATED R SIDE OF RWY EDGE TO DETERMINE LIGHTS NOR EXCURSION OF RWY OCCURRED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.