Narrative:

After landing on runway 23 and clearing on taxiway south we were told to taxi to gate via 'sierra victor november.' I am familiar with the airport so I did not look at the taxiway diagrams, I 'knew' the routing in my head. (The reason for the roundabout route was that the ramp had a construction barrier in the middle blocking direct access to our gate.) I then allowed myself to become distracted from the primary task of taxiing to the gate while I proceeded to shut down the right engine in an effort to save some fuel (per company approved policy). As I crossed 'victor' I had it in my head that I had just crossed '5L' which it used to be until recently. I then planned to make the next right onto the taxiway and proceed to the gate. As I turned, ground control advised that we had missed victor and to make a 180 degree back to it. The primary reason for my error was that I allowed myself to become distracted. I have resolved that I will no longer shut down (or start up) an engine while moving on the taxiway. I'll either wait until I'm stopped or I won't bother. It's not worth the distraction. Contributing factors: nighttime (dark). ATC phrased clearance 'behind other air carrier, south, V, north to the ramp' and oth air carrier was not supposed to turn on victor whereas I was but I simply followed him -- my mistake. First officer did not have taxi charts because company does not provide charts for the first officer's (cost cutting) and he was not able to monitor my progress on airport. (This has been a long time complaint of mine that the company does not provide charts for the first officer's. I'm amazed that the FAA allows such a practice. There's practically 2 of everything else in the cockpit.)

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NON ADHERENCE TO ATC INSTRUCTION IN A NIGHT OP. TAXIING TFC. TAXI SEQUENCE PROC.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG ON RWY 23 AND CLRING ON TXWY S WE WERE TOLD TO TAXI TO GATE VIA 'SIERRA VICTOR NOVEMBER.' I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT SO I DID NOT LOOK AT THE TXWY DIAGRAMS, I 'KNEW' THE ROUTING IN MY HEAD. (THE REASON FOR THE ROUNDABOUT RTE WAS THAT THE RAMP HAD A CONSTRUCTION BARRIER IN THE MIDDLE BLOCKING DIRECT ACCESS TO OUR GATE.) I THEN ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME DISTRACTED FROM THE PRIMARY TASK OF TAXIING TO THE GATE WHILE I PROCEEDED TO SHUT DOWN THE R ENG IN AN EFFORT TO SAVE SOME FUEL (PER COMPANY APPROVED POLICY). AS I CROSSED 'VICTOR' I HAD IT IN MY HEAD THAT I HAD JUST CROSSED '5L' WHICH IT USED TO BE UNTIL RECENTLY. I THEN PLANNED TO MAKE THE NEXT R ONTO THE TXWY AND PROCEED TO THE GATE. AS I TURNED, GND CTL ADVISED THAT WE HAD MISSED VICTOR AND TO MAKE A 180 DEG BACK TO IT. THE PRIMARY REASON FOR MY ERROR WAS THAT I ALLOWED MYSELF TO BECOME DISTRACTED. I HAVE RESOLVED THAT I WILL NO LONGER SHUT DOWN (OR START UP) AN ENG WHILE MOVING ON THE TXWY. I'LL EITHER WAIT UNTIL I'M STOPPED OR I WON'T BOTHER. IT'S NOT WORTH THE DISTR. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: NIGHTTIME (DARK). ATC PHRASED CLRNC 'BEHIND OTHER ACR, S, V, N TO THE RAMP' AND OTH ACR WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO TURN ON VICTOR WHEREAS I WAS BUT I SIMPLY FOLLOWED HIM -- MY MISTAKE. FO DID NOT HAVE TAXI CHARTS BECAUSE COMPANY DOES NOT PROVIDE CHARTS FOR THE FO'S (COST CUTTING) AND HE WAS NOT ABLE TO MONITOR MY PROGRESS ON ARPT. (THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMPLAINT OF MINE THAT THE COMPANY DOES NOT PROVIDE CHARTS FOR THE FO'S. I'M AMAZED THAT THE FAA ALLOWS SUCH A PRACTICE. THERE'S PRACTICALLY 2 OF EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE COCKPIT.)

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.