Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 213; Flight Crew Type 12000
Distraction; Situational Awareness; Confusion
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown; Ground Excursion Taxiway
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; General Maintenance Action
Environment - Non Weather Related; Airport
The Ground Crew pushed us off of a Terminal A Gate with the nose on the taxi line facing northeast. We received taxi instructions from San Antonio Ground to taxi via N; right turn on G; left turn on Runway 4; hold short Runway 30 Left. Just after starting our taxi; Ground Control told us to give way to another aircraft taxiing south on G. At this point I looked to my right and saw signage for Taxiway G and straight-ahead appeared to be a taxiway; as it aligned with W on the other side and there was a missing taxiway light which gave the illusion that this was a taxiway. This is a paved surface and not painted green as we normally see for non-stressed areas on the airport. Just after exiting the ramp and entering the area that I perceived to be an active taxiway; the FO noted that there was a taxiway light on the other side and commanded me to stop the aircraft and I immediately complied. We notified Ground that we would not be able to continue taxiing and would require ramp assistance to move the aircraft. The Ramp Crew pushed us back to the gate and told us that this same scenario had occurred two weeks earlier. We coordinated with MX Control to conduct an aircraft inspection to determine that there was no damage to the aircraft. I think perhaps labeling the taxiway coming off the ramp to N and including that as part of the taxi instruction might be helpful1 (i.e. N1 N). I mistakenly thought that I was on N after the pushback; which I feel was a contributing factor to this incident.
We had just started to taxi after pushback and while reviewing taxi clearance on EFB. I looked back up and realized we had begun taxiing forward onto closed/repainted/replaced portion of taxiway (still on hard surface). F/O yelled 'stop; stop; stop!' The nose wheel had passed the double yellow line indicating the taxiway limit. Realizing the mistake and recognizing the inability of the aircraft to turn back toward the taxiway; the APU was started and engines were shut down. Ground Ops was called and the aircraft was push back onto the taxiway. The Tug Driver noticed a broken taxiway light and it was determined that Maintenance should be called and we were towed back to the gate.Tug Driver(s); Airport Operations; Maintenance and Pilots agreed that taxiway light had not been struck by any part of our aircraft and was deemed safe to fly. The aircraft and Crew continued to [destination] without incident. Several factors contributed to the incident: 1) the unnamed taxiway segment at east section of Company ramp; 2) instructions 'give way to [aircraft] straight ahead' led us to eyes forward mode 3) the previously broken taxiway light and near perfect alignment of distant taxiway lights and green taxiway lines indicated our route was straight ahead; 4) the perfect misalignment of Taxiway G1 and Taxiway W 5) at night the nose wheel taxi light perfectly illuminated what must have been a sandblasted former yellow taxiway light.
An air carrier pushed from SAT Terminal A with taxi instructions N; right on G; left on Runway 4 hold short of Runway 30. Flight crew was confused; thinking his aircraft was on Taxiway N; and they taxied into the non-movement area between Taxiways G and G1 aligned with Taxiway W. Poor lighting and Taxiway N1 signage were contributing factors.