Narrative:

On short final to ord runway 14R, tower controller issued instructions to continue rollout to the T-10 intersection. I acknowledged instructions to T-10 at approximately 500 ft AGL while monitoring first officer's flying and making standard altitude, airspeed and rate of descent callouts. During the rollout, tower issued further instructions while I was calling out reverse thrust indications, airspeed, monitoring engine instruments and transitioning to take aircraft control for taxi. I heard essentially that we were to exit T-10, turn right and 'get in line behind company.' expecting to taxi to our gate, I exited T-10 (to the left) and began an immediate right turn onto taxiway T. Since we saw no other aircraft, I asked the first officer to confirm our instructions. Tower pointed out we were to exit runway right at T-10 (opposite direction from terminals) as gates were occupied. Both he and the ground controller were quite upset with our non-compliance even though there was no runway incursion or compromise of taxi separation. I believe a significant factor in this incident is a long-standing ATC practice of issuing specific or lengthy taxi instructions during landing, short final, or rollout. Even seemingly simple instructions can be misunderstood or missed entirely during this critical phase of flight. Combining this with the pressure to quickly clear active runways at busy terminals, I feel past history and statistics may belie the true potential for ground accidents.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CREW TURNED OFF THE RWY IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

Narrative: ON SHORT FINAL TO ORD RWY 14R, TWR CTLR ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTINUE ROLLOUT TO THE T-10 INTXN. I ACKNOWLEDGED INSTRUCTIONS TO T-10 AT APPROX 500 FT AGL WHILE MONITORING FO'S FLYING AND MAKING STANDARD ALT, AIRSPD AND RATE OF DSCNT CALLOUTS. DURING THE ROLLOUT, TWR ISSUED FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS WHILE I WAS CALLING OUT REVERSE THRUST INDICATIONS, AIRSPD, MONITORING ENG INSTS AND TRANSITIONING TO TAKE ACFT CTL FOR TAXI. I HEARD ESSENTIALLY THAT WE WERE TO EXIT T-10, TURN R AND 'GET IN LINE BEHIND COMPANY.' EXPECTING TO TAXI TO OUR GATE, I EXITED T-10 (TO THE L) AND BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE R TURN ONTO TXWY T. SINCE WE SAW NO OTHER ACFT, I ASKED THE FO TO CONFIRM OUR INSTRUCTIONS. TWR POINTED OUT WE WERE TO EXIT RWY R AT T-10 (OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM TERMINALS) AS GATES WERE OCCUPIED. BOTH HE AND THE GND CTLR WERE QUITE UPSET WITH OUR NON-COMPLIANCE EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO RWY INCURSION OR COMPROMISE OF TAXI SEPARATION. I BELIEVE A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IN THIS INCIDENT IS A LONG-STANDING ATC PRACTICE OF ISSUING SPECIFIC OR LENGTHY TAXI INSTRUCTIONS DURING LNDG, SHORT FINAL, OR ROLLOUT. EVEN SEEMINGLY SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS CAN BE MISUNDERSTOOD OR MISSED ENTIRELY DURING THIS CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT. COMBINING THIS WITH THE PRESSURE TO QUICKLY CLR ACTIVE RWYS AT BUSY TERMINALS, I FEEL PAST HISTORY AND STATISTICS MAY BELIE THE TRUE POTENTIAL FOR GND ACCIDENTS.

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.