Narrative:

Flight from phl to cvg, we had a cracked windshield and we diverted to cak. Upon landing on runway 19 in cak we came to a slow taxi. The controller instructed us to taxi to the ramp as we were taxiing down the runway. I asked the first officer to ask the controller if we could use runway 23 to taxi clear of runway 19 (to expedite our taxi and departures on runway 19). Controller instructed us to taxi to the ramp. We turned off onto runway 23 and off runway 23 to the ramp without a situation. The controller voiced his concern about us turning off onto runway 23, after we were told to 'taxi to the ramp and call ground.' we asked if we could use runway 23 again we were told to 'taxi to the ramp.' apparently we misunderstood the instructions of the controller. To prevent a recurrence: when we as a crew are told to taxi to the ramp we tend to go the most direct route. If a controller wants us to do something specific, he should say taxi via taxiway ? To the ramp. We asked if we could do something (turn off at runway 23) and we were told the same 'taxi to the ramp.' the problem is we assumed we can do it. To prevent problems in the future, controller needs to be more specific with his instructions, 'taxi clear of runway at taxiway ? Contact ground.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC EXPERIENCED CRACKED WINDSHIELD. FLC DIVERTED INTO CAK TO GET WINDSHIELD REPAIRED. CONFUSION OCCURRED REGARDING ROUTING AUTH BY TWR TO THE RAMP.

Narrative: FLT FROM PHL TO CVG, WE HAD A CRACKED WINDSHIELD AND WE DIVERTED TO CAK. UPON LNDG ON RWY 19 IN CAK WE CAME TO A SLOW TAXI. THE CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO TAXI TO THE RAMP AS WE WERE TAXIING DOWN THE RWY. I ASKED THE FO TO ASK THE CTLR IF WE COULD USE RWY 23 TO TAXI CLR OF RWY 19 (TO EXPEDITE OUR TAXI AND DEPS ON RWY 19). CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO TAXI TO THE RAMP. WE TURNED OFF ONTO RWY 23 AND OFF RWY 23 TO THE RAMP WITHOUT A SIT. THE CTLR VOICED HIS CONCERN ABOUT US TURNING OFF ONTO RWY 23, AFTER WE WERE TOLD TO 'TAXI TO THE RAMP AND CALL GND.' WE ASKED IF WE COULD USE RWY 23 AGAIN WE WERE TOLD TO 'TAXI TO THE RAMP.' APPARENTLY WE MISUNDERSTOOD THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE CTLR. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE: WHEN WE AS A CREW ARE TOLD TO TAXI TO THE RAMP WE TEND TO GO THE MOST DIRECT RTE. IF A CTLR WANTS US TO DO SOMETHING SPECIFIC, HE SHOULD SAY TAXI VIA TXWY ? TO THE RAMP. WE ASKED IF WE COULD DO SOMETHING (TURN OFF AT RWY 23) AND WE WERE TOLD THE SAME 'TAXI TO THE RAMP.' THE PROB IS WE ASSUMED WE CAN DO IT. TO PREVENT PROBS IN THE FUTURE, CTLR NEEDS TO BE MORE SPECIFIC WITH HIS INSTRUCTIONS, 'TAXI CLR OF RWY AT TXWY ? CONTACT GND.

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.