RWY EXCURSION IN A B727.

Narrative

APCH TO RWY 8L AT ATL WAS NORMAL. SPD 145 KTS BASED ON WT AND GUSTY WINDS. TOUCHDOWN WAS NORMAL AND IN THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE. SPOILERS AND REVERSERS DEPLOY IMMEDIATELY AFTER TOUCHDOWN AND ACFT SEEMED TO DECELERATE NORMALLY. REVERSERS STOWED AT APPROX 75 KTS AND BRAKING INITIATED WITH LITTLE EFFECT. MAX BRAKING APPLIED BUT ACFT DID NOT SLOW AS WE APCHED THE LAST TXWY ON R (B-15). I ELECTED TO ATTEMPT TO TURN ACFT 45 DEGS RATHER THAN GO OFF THE END OF RWY 8L. ACFT DEPARTED RWY AND STOPPED WITH NOSE GEAR AND L MAIN IN GRASSY AREA WHICH WAS VERY SOGGY AND MUDDY DUE TO CONSTANT RAIN THAT DAY. NOTIFIED TWR OF OUR POS AND THAT WE WERE DISABLED. CHKED ON CABIN; NO INJURIES RPTED. EVENTUALLY DEPLANED PAX THROUGH AFT AIRSTAIRS AND BUSSED TO TERMINAL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE MODERATE RAIN AND HVY RUBBER DEPOSITS ON RWY 8L WHICH MADE THE LAST 3000-4000 FT VERY SLIPPERY WITH BRAKING ACTION; NIL. SOME BRAKING ACTION RPTS FROM THE TWR COULD HEIGHTEN AWARENESS OF THIS POTENTIAL PROB. EXPERIENCE ON THE 727 PLAYED SOME ROLE; BUT THE RESPONSIBILITY STILL REST WITH THE CAPT AND CREW TO ANTICIPATE POTENTIAL HAZARDS AND TRY TO AVOID THEM.