Narrative:

Upon arrival at rochester (landing runway 25) I attempted to exit at taxiway 'K' (airport diagram attached). Speed did not allow a safe turn at 'H.' a single engine was holding short of runway 25 on east side of the 'K' taxiway. There was plenty of room for our aircraft to pass on the west side of the kilo taxiway. As the local controller saw me turning toward the taxiway she told me I'll need you to go back to hotel.' while still in my turn to the left I saw the 'H' taxiway sign a hundred ft or so to my left and continued my turn and back-taxied on runway 25 to hotel and exited to the right. While taxiing eastbound on 7-25 the controller said something to the effect of 'contact ground point 7 when clear.' upon contacting the ground controller I was lectured about my route back to the hotel taxiway and something about where I was attempting to exit was a parking area. As I was still controling the aircraft and did not have time to study the airport layout while taxiing to the FBO I told the ground controller that I was unfamiliar with their local procedures and apologized for any confusion. After securing the plane I reviewed the airport layout diagram and believe my actions were appropriate. If my procedure was inappropriate I believe the local controller's vague instructions are at fault. Perhaps the ground controller was unaware of the local controller's instructions to me or her phraseology. I am still puzzled as to what exactly they wanted me to do. I have been at dozens of tower controled fields including arsa and TCA airports and am confident in my proficiency to follow controllers instructions. I would like to know just for peace of mind what it is that they expected me to do but am hesitant to call or write the rochester facility due to concern that this may open an investigation or enforcement action that is not justified since I believe there was no compromise of safety. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter was advised that this situation can happen for various reasons and to always try to call ATC on the telephone at the first opportunity to clear up any misunderstanding. This action helps both parties and can bring about future changes that will prevent a recurrence.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRIVATE PLT OF SMA ACFT QUESTIONED TAXI ROUTING AFTER LNDG.

Narrative: UPON ARR AT ROCHESTER (LNDG RWY 25) I ATTEMPTED TO EXIT AT TAXIWAY 'K' (ARPT DIAGRAM ATTACHED). SPD DID NOT ALLOW A SAFE TURN AT 'H.' A SINGLE ENG WAS HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 25 ON E SIDE OF THE 'K' TAXIWAY. THERE WAS PLENTY OF ROOM FOR OUR ACFT TO PASS ON THE W SIDE OF THE KILO TAXIWAY. AS THE LCL CTLR SAW ME TURNING TOWARD THE TAXIWAY SHE TOLD ME I'LL NEED YOU TO GO BACK TO HOTEL.' WHILE STILL IN MY TURN TO THE L I SAW THE 'H' TAXIWAY SIGN A HUNDRED FT OR SO TO MY L AND CONTINUED MY TURN AND BACK-TAXIED ON RWY 25 TO HOTEL AND EXITED TO THE R. WHILE TAXIING EBOUND ON 7-25 THE CTLR SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF 'CONTACT GND POINT 7 WHEN CLR.' UPON CONTACTING THE GND CTLR I WAS LECTURED ABOUT MY RTE BACK TO THE HOTEL TAXIWAY AND SOMETHING ABOUT WHERE I WAS ATTEMPTING TO EXIT WAS A PARKING AREA. AS I WAS STILL CTLING THE ACFT AND DID NOT HAVE TIME TO STUDY THE ARPT LAYOUT WHILE TAXIING TO THE FBO I TOLD THE GND CTLR THAT I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THEIR LCL PROCS AND APOLOGIZED FOR ANY CONFUSION. AFTER SECURING THE PLANE I REVIEWED THE ARPT LAYOUT DIAGRAM AND BELIEVE MY ACTIONS WERE APPROPRIATE. IF MY PROC WAS INAPPROPRIATE I BELIEVE THE LCL CTLR'S VAGUE INSTRUCTIONS ARE AT FAULT. PERHAPS THE GND CTLR WAS UNAWARE OF THE LCL CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS TO ME OR HER PHRASEOLOGY. I AM STILL PUZZLED AS TO WHAT EXACTLY THEY WANTED ME TO DO. I HAVE BEEN AT DOZENS OF TWR CTLED FIELDS INCLUDING ARSA AND TCA ARPTS AND AM CONFIDENT IN MY PROFICIENCY TO FOLLOW CTLRS INSTRUCTIONS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW JUST FOR PEACE OF MIND WHAT IT IS THAT THEY EXPECTED ME TO DO BUT AM HESITANT TO CALL OR WRITE THE ROCHESTER FACILITY DUE TO CONCERN THAT THIS MAY OPEN AN INVESTIGATION OR ENFORCEMENT ACTION THAT IS NOT JUSTIFIED SINCE I BELIEVE THERE WAS NO COMPROMISE OF SAFETY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR WAS ADVISED THAT THIS SITUATION CAN HAPPEN FOR VARIOUS REASONS AND TO ALWAYS TRY TO CALL ATC ON THE TELEPHONE AT THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO CLR UP ANY MISUNDERSTANDING. THIS ACTION HELPS BOTH PARTIES AND CAN BRING ABOUT FUTURE CHANGES THAT WILL PREVENT A RECURRENCE.

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.