diff --git a/src/Airports/groundnetwork.cxx b/src/Airports/groundnetwork.cxx
index 0d036937e..a4bed9497 100644
--- a/src/Airports/groundnetwork.cxx
+++ b/src/Airports/groundnetwork.cxx
@@ -222,6 +222,24 @@ FGTaxiNodeRef FGGroundNetwork::findNearestNode(const SGGeod & aGeod) const
     return result;
 }
 
+FGTaxiNodeRef FGGroundNetwork::findNearestNodeOffRunway(const SGGeod& aGeod) const
+{
+    SGVec3d cartPos = SGVec3d::fromGeod(aGeod);
+    auto node = std::min_element(m_nodes.begin(), m_nodes.end(),
+                                 [cartPos](const FGTaxiNodeRef& a, const FGTaxiNodeRef& b)
+                                 {
+                                     double aDist = a->getIsOnRunway() ? DBL_MAX : distSqr(cartPos, a->cart());
+                                     double bDist = b->getIsOnRunway() ? DBL_MAX : distSqr(cartPos, b->cart());
+                                     return  aDist < bDist;
+                                 });
+
+    if (node == m_nodes.end()) {
+        return FGTaxiNodeRef();
+    }
+
+    return *node;
+}
+
 FGTaxiNodeRef FGGroundNetwork::findNearestNodeOnRunway(const SGGeod & aGeod, FGRunway* aRunway) const
 {
     SG_UNUSED(aRunway);
diff --git a/src/Airports/groundnetwork.hxx b/src/Airports/groundnetwork.hxx
index a134f5947..aa65636f4 100644
--- a/src/Airports/groundnetwork.hxx
+++ b/src/Airports/groundnetwork.hxx
@@ -249,6 +249,8 @@ public:
     FGTaxiNodeRef findNearestNode(const SGGeod& aGeod) const;
     FGTaxiNodeRef findNearestNodeOnRunway(const SGGeod& aGeod, FGRunway* aRunway = NULL) const;
 
+    FGTaxiNodeRef findNearestNodeOffRunway(const SGGeod& aGeod) const;
+
     FGTaxiSegment *findSegment(unsigned int idx) const;
 
     FGTaxiSegment* findOppositeSegment(unsigned int index) const;