Narrative:

Taxiing to runway 23 from the terminal I asked if we should taxi via a to G to runway 23. Ground said hold short of 23 and back taxi on the runway. After an small transport landed ground said there's another aircraft in the pattern taxi 34 to C to the runway. I informed him I couldn't find C on the taxi chart. He said first right after your left on the runway. We were in the middle of 34 aiming toward 23. We turned onto 23, he had said 34 the second time. The military transport, about 4 mi out was instructed to do a low approach, break off and reenter the pattern, we back taxied on 23 and took off west/O further incident. We had 'back taxi' on 23 on the brain, when he said 34. It just did not sink in. Also if I could have found C taxiway it would have sunk in. Taxiway names there, and at many airports, are very confusing. I know you're suppose to listen to what's said, not hear what you expect but that can be very difficult. We were also thinking about the flight in front of us because we deviated a long way coming into wilmington and were worried about the trip back.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG TAXIING MISUNDERSTOOD TWR INSTRUCTIONS AND PROCEEDED BACK TRACK ON RWY 23 CAUSING ACFT ON APCH TO BREAK OFF AND GO AROUND.

Narrative: TAXIING TO RWY 23 FROM THE TERMINAL I ASKED IF WE SHOULD TAXI VIA A TO G TO RWY 23. GND SAID HOLD SHORT OF 23 AND BACK TAXI ON THE RWY. AFTER AN SMT LANDED GND SAID THERE'S ANOTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN TAXI 34 TO C TO THE RWY. I INFORMED HIM I COULDN'T FIND C ON THE TAXI CHART. HE SAID FIRST R AFTER YOUR L ON THE RWY. WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF 34 AIMING TOWARD 23. WE TURNED ONTO 23, HE HAD SAID 34 THE SEC TIME. THE MIL TRANSPORT, ABOUT 4 MI OUT WAS INSTRUCTED TO DO A LOW APCH, BREAK OFF AND REENTER THE PATTERN, WE BACK TAXIED ON 23 AND TOOK OFF W/O FURTHER INCIDENT. WE HAD 'BACK TAXI' ON 23 ON THE BRAIN, WHEN HE SAID 34. IT JUST DID NOT SINK IN. ALSO IF I COULD HAVE FOUND C TXWY IT WOULD HAVE SUNK IN. TXWY NAMES THERE, AND AT MANY AIRPORTS, ARE VERY CONFUSING. I KNOW YOU'RE SUPPOSE TO LISTEN TO WHAT'S SAID, NOT HEAR WHAT YOU EXPECT BUT THAT CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT. WE WERE ALSO THINKING ABOUT THE FLT IN FRONT OF US BECAUSE WE DEVIATED A LONG WAY COMING INTO WILMINGTON AND WERE WORRIED ABOUT THE TRIP BACK.

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.