Narrative:

Made a visual landing on runway 9 and during rollout tower advised us to make a 180 turn and exit at taxiway O, then continue to our ramp. I made a left 90 turn toward a taxiway but was informed by the first officer that this taxiway was not O, it was further down the runway. I was unsure where taxiway O was so I took the first officer's advice and completed the 180 left turn and continued to what we now thought was taxiway O. I quickly taxied down runway 9/27 to taxiway O which was really taxiway P. We exited the runway at taxiway P and continued to our ramp. Tower never questioned or called us on the radio to inform us that we used the wrong taxiway. I did not know for sure until I checked the airport diagram after we blocked in. No conflict occurred. My error was not checking the airport diagram when I was unsure of where the taxiway was. Major problems were taxiways O and P are poorly marked and cannot be seen from the runway. Their markings are on the opposite side of the parallel taxiway and are busy poorly lighted signs. Tower led us to believe we missed taxiway O by telling us we can make a 180 turn and taxi back to taxiway O. Captain unsure of taxiway position. First officer informing captain taxiway was further down the runway. My suggestions are: improve taxiways O and P lighted signs by moving them to a position between the parallel taxiway V and the runway, and increase their size. Always check the airport diagram when unsure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF LGT FREIGHTER ADMITS TO MISTAXI, MISSING PROPER TAXIWAY FOR TURNOFF.

Narrative: MADE A VISUAL LNDG ON RWY 9 AND DURING ROLLOUT TWR ADVISED US TO MAKE A 180 TURN AND EXIT AT TAXIWAY O, THEN CONTINUE TO OUR RAMP. I MADE A L 90 TURN TOWARD A TAXIWAY BUT WAS INFORMED BY THE FO THAT THIS TAXIWAY WAS NOT O, IT WAS FURTHER DOWN THE RWY. I WAS UNSURE WHERE TAXIWAY O WAS SO I TOOK THE FO'S ADVICE AND COMPLETED THE 180 L TURN AND CONTINUED TO WHAT WE NOW THOUGHT WAS TAXIWAY O. I QUICKLY TAXIED DOWN RWY 9/27 TO TAXIWAY O WHICH WAS REALLY TAXIWAY P. WE EXITED THE RWY AT TAXIWAY P AND CONTINUED TO OUR RAMP. TWR NEVER QUESTIONED OR CALLED US ON THE RADIO TO INFORM US THAT WE USED THE WRONG TAXIWAY. I DID NOT KNOW FOR SURE UNTIL I CHKED THE ARPT DIAGRAM AFTER WE BLOCKED IN. NO CONFLICT OCCURRED. MY ERROR WAS NOT CHKING THE ARPT DIAGRAM WHEN I WAS UNSURE OF WHERE THE TAXIWAY WAS. MAJOR PROBLEMS WERE TAXIWAYS O AND P ARE POORLY MARKED AND CANNOT BE SEEN FROM THE RWY. THEIR MARKINGS ARE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY AND ARE BUSY POORLY LIGHTED SIGNS. TWR LED US TO BELIEVE WE MISSED TAXIWAY O BY TELLING US WE CAN MAKE A 180 TURN AND TAXI BACK TO TAXIWAY O. CAPT UNSURE OF TAXIWAY POS. FO INFORMING CAPT TAXIWAY WAS FURTHER DOWN THE RWY. MY SUGGESTIONS ARE: IMPROVE TAXIWAYS O AND P LIGHTED SIGNS BY MOVING THEM TO A POS BTWN THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY V AND THE RWY, AND INCREASE THEIR SIZE. ALWAYS CHK THE ARPT DIAGRAM WHEN UNSURE.

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.