Narrative:

Flight ewr-pit. First officer had just made the landing. I told him I was on the brakes and that I had the aircraft. The aircraft, in my estimation, was going too fast for the high speed turnoff, C4, so I elected to brake straight ahead on the runway. I then saw that if I made a short turn off the runway I would be lined up with the extended centerline of taxiway C5, the reverse high speed. As I proceeded to do this I asked the tower for a 'short 180,' even though I only needed a 120 degree turn to taxiway C5. Tower stated that in the future if I wanted to do this I should ask him first and expedite as there was traffic on final. I completely agreed even though in this case we were on the parallel taxiway charlie before he touched down (no factor). In reviewing aim, it is quite specific in saying to proceed in the landing direction to the nearest taxiway after landing unless otherwise instructed by the tower. I should have gone straight ahead or gotten approval for the turn earlier. One of the factors to influence what I did might have been the aircraft's push for on time performance. Subconsciously, perhaps, I thought I could stay on time with this turn and not going on to the next turnoff. Ironically, if we had gone to the next one, on time performance would not have been a factor because we blocked in 10 mins early. There were perception on my part that saturday morning. We were #1 for the runway, more than 10 mi out and for some reason I didn't think there was traffic behind us being it was so quite on the radio. And finally, there was the expectation F the tower controller for me to go onto the next high speed turnoff, C3. If we are not going to do what is expected, we should ask first. The bottom line is to do what is expected because it makes for fewer surprised on everyone's part.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG UNAUTH TAXI AFTER LNDG.

Narrative: FLT EWR-PIT. F/O HAD JUST MADE THE LNDG. I TOLD HIM I WAS ON THE BRAKES AND THAT I HAD THE ACFT. THE ACFT, IN MY ESTIMATION, WAS GOING TOO FAST FOR THE HIGH SPD TURNOFF, C4, SO I ELECTED TO BRAKE STRAIGHT AHEAD ON THE RWY. I THEN SAW THAT IF I MADE A SHORT TURN OFF THE RWY I WOULD BE LINED UP WITH THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE OF TXWY C5, THE REVERSE HIGH SPD. AS I PROCEEDED TO DO THIS I ASKED THE TWR FOR A 'SHORT 180,' EVEN THOUGH I ONLY NEEDED A 120 DEG TURN TO TXWY C5. TWR STATED THAT IN THE FUTURE IF I WANTED TO DO THIS I SHOULD ASK HIM FIRST AND EXPEDITE AS THERE WAS TFC ON FINAL. I COMPLETELY AGREED EVEN THOUGH IN THIS CASE WE WERE ON THE PARALLEL TXWY CHARLIE BEFORE HE TOUCHED DOWN (NO FACTOR). IN REVIEWING AIM, IT IS QUITE SPECIFIC IN SAYING TO PROCEED IN THE LNDG DIRECTION TO THE NEAREST TXWY AFTER LNDG UNLESS OTHERWISE INSTRUCTED BY THE TWR. I SHOULD HAVE GONE STRAIGHT AHEAD OR GOTTEN APPROVAL FOR THE TURN EARLIER. ONE OF THE FACTORS TO INFLUENCE WHAT I DID MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE ACFT'S PUSH FOR ON TIME PERFORMANCE. SUBCONSCIOUSLY, PERHAPS, I THOUGHT I COULD STAY ON TIME WITH THIS TURN AND NOT GOING ON TO THE NEXT TURNOFF. IRONICALLY, IF WE HAD GONE TO THE NEXT ONE, ON TIME PERFORMANCE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A FACTOR BECAUSE WE BLOCKED IN 10 MINS EARLY. THERE WERE PERCEPTION ON MY PART THAT SATURDAY MORNING. WE WERE #1 FOR THE RWY, MORE THAN 10 MI OUT AND FOR SOME REASON I DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS TFC BEHIND US BEING IT WAS SO QUITE ON THE RADIO. AND FINALLY, THERE WAS THE EXPECTATION F THE TWR CTLR FOR ME TO GO ONTO THE NEXT HIGH SPD TURNOFF, C3. IF WE ARE NOT GOING TO DO WHAT IS EXPECTED, WE SHOULD ASK FIRST. THE BOTTOM LINE IS TO DO WHAT IS EXPECTED BECAUSE IT MAKES FOR FEWER SURPRISED ON EVERYONE'S PART.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.