THE LACK OF TXWY LIGHTING IS A PRECURSOR TO A CL65 BEING TAXIED OFF THE TXWY ENTERING THE RAMP DURING A NIGHT OP AT SHV; LA.

Narrative

AFTER LNDG AT SHV ON RWY 5; PROCEEDED TO TAXI TO THE ACR RAMP VIA TXWY B AND TXWY A. APCHING TXWY A; GND INFORMED US THAT THE TXWY LIGHTS AT THE END OF TXWY B AND ALL OF ALPHA WERE INOP; BUT THAT THE TXWY CTRLINE LIGHTS AT THE END OF ALPHA WERE WORKING. I SLOWED THE ACFT AS WE APCHED THE EAST ENTRANCE TO THE RAMP AND VISUALLY LOCATED MY ACFT MARSHALLER. AS I TURNED IN TO THE RAMP ENTRANCE; I SECURED THE TAXI LIGHTS SO AS NOT TO BLIND MY MARSHALLER AND STARTED TO TURN FOR LINE-UP INTO MY PARKING SPOT. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT I NOTICED THAT I HAD STARTED THE TURN TOO SOON AND THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS HEADING INTO THE GRASS. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AS THE NOSEWHEELS LEFT THE PAVEMENT. GND AND COMPANY OPS WERE NOTIFIED. THE SIT WAS RELAYED TO THE FLT ATTENDANT AND THEN I NOTIFIED THE PAX OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED. ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE FOR TRANSPORT OF THE PAX THE 100-150 YARDS TO THE TERMINAL. WHEN TRANSPORT ARRIVED; THE ACFT WAS SHUT DOWN NORMALLY WITH A NORMAL REBOARDING PROCESS. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE NOSEWHEELS TRAVELED APPROX 2 FT OVER THE GND AT A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 1 FT TO THE CLOSEST PAVEMENT. ACFT WAS THEN TURNED OVER TO MAINT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) LACK OF TAXI LIGHTS. THE TAXI STRIPE ENDS AS YOU GET TO THE ACR RAMP. DARK NIGHT WITH NO MOON AND A RAMP AREA THAT IS NOT ILLUMINATED AS MUCH AS MOST RAMPS. 2) OVERLY CONCERNED ABOUT NOT BLINDING MY MARSHALLER WITH THE TAXI LIGHTS.