AN MD82 FLC TAXIES OFF THE TXWY WHILE ATTEMPTING A 180 DEG TURN DURING A NIGHT OP.

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AFTER A MAINT POSITIONING FLT (FAR PART 91 OP) ON ARR INTO ARA (NEW IBERIA; LA); WE DISCOVERED THAT ALL TXWY LIGHTS WERE INOP. NO NOTAMS HAD BEEN ISSUED IN REGARD TO THIS. ONCE CLR OF RWY WE ASKED ATC FOR PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO RAMP. I MAINTAINED OUR GND FLOOD AND TAXI LIGHTS; BUT EXTINGUISHED THE GND FLOODS WHEN A HELI BEGAN HIS TAXI NEAR OUR POS. AT THIS POINT THE CTLR SAID TO TURN L AT NEXT TXWY; WHICH WE DID; AND FOUND OURSELVES AT A DEAD END IN A COMPASS ROSE/SWING AREA. I ATTEMPTED TO DO A 180 DEG TURN; BUT RAN OUT OF ROOM. WE SHUT DOWN AND CALLED FOR A TUG TO COME TOW US TO THE RAMP. WE DID A QUICK EXTERIOR INSPECTION AND FOUND OUR R MAIN LNDG GEAR (R OUTBOARD TIRE) WAS PARTIALLY OFF THE PAVEMENT. WHEN THE TUG HOOKED UP AND WE RELEASED OUR PARKING BRAKE THE ACFT ROLLED BACKWARDS AND BOTH TIRES WERE NOW OFF THE PAVEMENT. THE TUG PULLED US BACK ONTO THE SURFACE AND TO THE RAMP. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO DAMAGE EVIDENT; WE HAD THE ACFT INSPECTED BY OUR MAINT DEPT PERSONNEL PRIOR TO DEP. ALTHOUGH NO ACFT DAMAGE WAS DONE (ONLY MY EGO); THIS EVENT HAD SEVERAL LINKS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO ITS OCCURRENCE. UNFAMILIAR ARPT AT NIGHT; NO TXWY LIGHTS; INCORRECT ARPT DIAGRAM CHART; INCORRECT ATC INSTRUCTIONS; DUMB PLT. IF I HAD JUST STOPPED THE ACFT WHEN WE REALIZED THE MISTAKE; NOTHING WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. HOWEVER; IN MY HASTE TO CORRECT THE MISTAKE; I FURTHER COMPLICATED MATTERS. NEXT TIME SOMETHING OF THIS NATURE HAPPENS; I WILL: USE EXTREME VIGILANCE AT UNFAMILIAR ARPT; TRY NEVER TO OPERATE AT NIGHT INTO ONE; NOT ALLOW ONE TO HAVE A FALSE SENSE OF WELL BEING BY RECEIVING PROGRESSIVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS; AND FOREMOST -- WHEN IN DOUBT; PARK THE AIRPLANE IMMEDIATELY. I WAS LUCKY THIS TIME.