Improper interpretation of taxi clearance.

Attributes
ACN	289920
Time
Date	199411
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	289920
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After calling in taxi instructions, stl ground stated, 'echo to alpha, runway 30L (sic). I very nearly took taxiway east across runway 30L. Controller's instructions would have been better understood if he stated, 'at spot echo join taxiway alpha to runway 30L.' the instructions would be even clrer if spot echo were renamed so as to prevent confusion with taxiway echo. This is an accident waiting to happen.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMPROPER INTERP OF TAXI CLRNC.

Narrative: AFTER CALLING IN TAXI INSTRUCTIONS, STL GND STATED, 'ECHO TO ALPHA, RWY 30L (SIC). I VERY NEARLY TOOK TXWY E ACROSS RWY 30L. CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER UNDERSTOOD IF HE STATED, 'AT SPOT ECHO JOIN TXWY ALPHA TO RWY 30L.' THE INSTRUCTIONS WOULD BE EVEN CLRER IF SPOT ECHO WERE RENAMED SO AS TO PREVENT CONFUSION WITH TXWY ECHO. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.

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.