NIGHT OP OF LGT ACFT. CAPT TAXIED INTO GRASS AREA; STUCK; DEPLANED PAX; TIRE BLOWN; TAXIWAY LIGHT DEMOLISHED.

Narrative

LANDED 6R GND CTL CLRED FLT TO TAXI VIA PARALLEL; CLRED TO CROSS RWY 18/36 AT BRAVO. TAXIWAY ANGLES TO R BEFORE (AND WITHOUT) INTERSECTING RWY 18/36. FLT DID NOT EXECUTE R ANGLE AND DROVE INTO GRASS ON EXTENDED CENTERLINE OF PARALLEL TAXIWAY. L INBOARD MAIN TIRE BLEW AS ACFT RAN OVER TAXI LIGHT. ACFT SETTLED INTO SOFT EARTH. NORMAL SHUTDOWN; NORMAL PAX DEP VIA AFT STAIRS TO BUSES. CAPT SAW BLUE LIGHTS BOTH SIDES AND CONTINUING BLUE LIGHTS AHEAD AND INTERPRETED DARK AREA TO BE RWY 18/36. (SEE DAYTON 11-1 BACKSIDE.) FLT WAS LINE CHK FOR FO; SO NEWLY ARRIVED FROM ANOTHER AIRLINE (FO WAS FORMER LGT CAPT). LINE CHK CAPT HAD FLOWN 6 LINE CHKS FOR 14 CREW MEMBERS (12 LEGS) PLUS 2 DAY 6 LEG INTL FLT AS PIC ON WDB IN PAST 6 DAYS. LINE CHK PROGRAM WAS INTENDED TO AVOID NIGHT LNDGS; HOWEVER; CHANGE TO STANDARD TIME AND 1 HR LATE DEP PUT LNDG INTO DARK. LINE CHK CAPT HAD NOT FLOWN INTO DAYTON FOR ABOUT 1 YR WHICH WAS PRIOR TO COMPANY MOVING GATES TO OTHER SIDE OF TERMINAL; EXCEPT THAT IN LAST MONTH HAD 6 LNDGS ALL ON 24L. ACFT WAS ACQUIRED IN MERGER AND HAD NON STANDARD RADIO PANELS. IMMEDIATELY BEFORE LEAVING TAXIWAY; CAPT QUERIED FO ABOUT XING CLRNC AND RECEIVED A CLRED TO CROSS. HE TOOK HIS EYES OFF TAXIWAY TO LOOK AT FO. ALSO AT THIS TIME; NOSE TAXIWAY LIGHT WAS TURNED OFF TO AVOID BLINDING DEPARTING ACFT ON PARALLEL RWY (RWY TURNOFF LIGHTS WERE ON). AS CAPT TURNED ON TAXI LIGHT; ACFT LEFT TAXIWAY. ACFT WAS PURPOSELY BEING TAXIED SLOWLY TO ALLOW EXTRA TIME FOR NEW CREW MEMBERS TO ACCOMPLISH AFTER LNDG CHKLIST. ALL CREW MEMBERS PERCEIVED PARALLEL TAXIWAY TO BE CONTINUOUS FULL LENGTH OF RWY AND WERE REINFORCED BY CONTINUING BLUE LIGHTS ON OTHER SIDE OF 18/36.