CAPT OF MLG ACR ACFT INADVERTENTLY TURNED OFF THE RWY AFTER A CAT II LNDG ONTO THE USAF RAMP BECAUSE OF LACK OF VISIBILITY TO SEE THE TURN OFF TXWY TO WHICH CLRED.
Synopsis
CAPT OF MLG ACR ACFT INADVERTENTLY TURNED OFF THE RWY AFTER A CAT II LNDG ONTO THE USAF RAMP BECAUSE OF LACK OF VISIBILITY TO SEE THE TURN OFF TXWY TO WHICH CLRED.
Narrative
AFTER EXECUTING A SUCCESSFUL CAT II APCH AT ORD ON RWY 14L WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO EXIT R ONTO RWY 18. WE WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE INTXN ONTO RWY 18 (RWYS HAVE WHITE LIGHTS AND COULD ONLY SEE A LIMITED DISTANCE). IN AN EFFORT TO CLR THE RWY AND NOT SEND THE ACFT BEHIND US AROUND THE CAPT EXITED ONTO A TXWY TO THE L. IT WAS MARKED WITH BLUE LIGHTS. THIS EXIT LED TO THE AIR FORCE RAMP CAUSING AIR FORCE SECURITY TO BE ALERTED. THE SIT WAS LATER RESOLVED BY COORDINATING WITH THE ORD ARPT AUTHORITY AND THE USAF TO ALLOW US TO TAXI ONTO THEIR RAMP AND OUT ANOTHER TXWY. VISIBILITY WAS SO LIMITED (RVR 1400 FT) A CREW UNFAMILIAR WITH ORD (I DO NOT GO INTO ORD REGULARLY ENOUGH TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE FIELD) CAN NOT EXPEDITE TO THE INTXN IN QUESTION. CTR LINE GREEN TAXI LIGHTS LEADING FROM THE RWY INTO THE EXITS WOULD BE A GREAT IMPROVEMENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 237465: DURING CAT II APCH TO ORD RWY 14L; TCASII SHOWED TFC BEHIND ME APPROX 3-4 MI. I WAS APPROX 1/2 - 1 MI FROM TOUCHDOWN. WITH THIS IN MIND AND AFTER A NORMAL CAT II COUPLED APCH AND LNDG; I EXPEDITED CLRING RWY 14L UTILIZING THE FIRST AVAILABLE TXWY WHICH LED TO THE USAF RESERVE RAMP. FACTORS: CLOSE REAR TFC IN REDUCED VISIBILITY. NO LIGHTED TURNOFF LIGHTS SEEN. TXWY SIGNS NON LIGHTED.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.