Narrative:

See attached airport diagrams. Departing gate X we were 'cleared to runway 19R via alpha, charlie, hold short of runway 19L.' alpha and charlie txwys are parallel to each other. Additionally airport chart 10-9 sna dated 11/xx/90 restricts taxiway charlie to 12500 pounds. I therefore understood the clearance to mean taxi via alpha, hold short of runway 19L at charlie. As I turned right onto alpha, ground told me to turn left and taxi down charlie. Apparently the weight restriction was misprinted and should be 60000 pounds not 12500 pounds. However, their standard clearance of 'via alpha, charlie,...' is confusing. From gate 1A we never taxi along alpha, merely across it. A much clrer clearance would be 'via juliet, charlie, hold short of runway 19L at lima.' or 'via alpha, hold short of runway 19L at lima.' to use both alpha and charlie west/O an intersecting connection point is confusing. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Contacted the air traffic manager at sna to determine if the airport taxi chart which depicted taxiway C restr to aircraft 12500 pounds or less was correct. He said the airport chart was not correct. The airport officials have determined that taxiway C was okay for aircraft weighing 60000 pounds or less. He advised that taxiway C had been extended to taxiway G or the full length of runway 19L/1R. Airport officials do not want GA or commuter aircraft using taxiway a abeam taxiway left and K because of jet blast from aircraft at the airline terminal.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ERRONEOUS INFO ON ARPT TAXI CHART CAUSED THE PLT TO INTERPRET CTLR'S TAXI INSTRUCTIONS IN ERROR.

Narrative: SEE ATTACHED ARPT DIAGRAMS. DEPARTING GATE X WE WERE 'CLRED TO RWY 19R VIA ALPHA, CHARLIE, HOLD SHORT OF RWY 19L.' ALPHA AND CHARLIE TXWYS ARE PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER. ADDITIONALLY ARPT CHART 10-9 SNA DATED 11/XX/90 RESTRICTS TXWY CHARLIE TO 12500 LBS. I THEREFORE UNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC TO MEAN TAXI VIA ALPHA, HOLD SHORT OF RWY 19L AT CHARLIE. AS I TURNED R ONTO ALPHA, GND TOLD ME TO TURN L AND TAXI DOWN CHARLIE. APPARENTLY THE WEIGHT RESTRICTION WAS MISPRINTED AND SHOULD BE 60000 LBS NOT 12500 LBS. HOWEVER, THEIR STANDARD CLRNC OF 'VIA ALPHA, CHARLIE,...' IS CONFUSING. FROM GATE 1A WE NEVER TAXI ALONG ALPHA, MERELY ACROSS IT. A MUCH CLRER CLRNC WOULD BE 'VIA JULIET, CHARLIE, HOLD SHORT OF RWY 19L AT LIMA.' OR 'VIA ALPHA, HOLD SHORT OF RWY 19L AT LIMA.' TO USE BOTH ALPHA AND CHARLIE W/O AN INTERSECTING CONNECTION POINT IS CONFUSING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. CONTACTED THE AIR TFC MGR AT SNA TO DETERMINE IF THE ARPT TAXI CHART WHICH DEPICTED TXWY C RESTR TO ACFT 12500 LBS OR LESS WAS CORRECT. HE SAID THE ARPT CHART WAS NOT CORRECT. THE ARPT OFFICIALS HAVE DETERMINED THAT TXWY C WAS OKAY FOR ACFT WEIGHING 60000 LBS OR LESS. HE ADVISED THAT TXWY C HAD BEEN EXTENDED TO TXWY G OR THE FULL LENGTH OF RWY 19L/1R. ARPT OFFICIALS DO NOT WANT GA OR COMMUTER ACFT USING TXWY A ABEAM TXWY L AND K BECAUSE OF JET BLAST FROM ACFT AT THE AIRLINE TERMINAL.

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.