Narrative:

After 4 hours of captain upgrade IOE, and after 3 instrument approachs (2 of which were non precision) we landed on runway 22L at jfk. The ceiling was approximately 1000 ft MSL, minimums for the VOR DME runway 22L approach. Visibility was approximately 3 mi with light to moderate rain. We cleared the runway at high speed taxiway H. We were issued a clearance to turn right on taxiway Z and contact ground. After turning on taxiway Z I contacted ground control and was issued a clearance to taxi straight ahead on taxiway Z and hold short of runway 22R. While approaching the intersection of taxiway G, and while performing the after landing checklist, I looked up to see a row of short (approximately 18 inches) unlighted cones across the taxiway. The upgrade captain saw the cones the same time as myself and immediately applied maximum braking. The cones were noticed too late, however, and we proceeded through the barrier with maximum brakes still applied. We stopped approximately 5 ft on the other side of the cones. Immediately we assessed the condition of the aircraft -- we still had 3 green down and locked indications on the landing gear, and all engine indications were normal, so we determined that it was safe to continue to the gate. Before we proceeded, I contacted ground to notify them of what had just happened, and to verify it was safe to proceed. Ground stated that the cones were not supposed to be there and, in fact, the closure was south on taxiway Z, south of taxiway H. After getting cleared to taxi to the gate, I listened to the ATIS again. There were no NOTAMS for taxiway closures, and our company issued WX had no NOTAMS of closures either. After deplaning the passenger, the aircraft was inspected by a mechanic and no damage was found. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states there was no good explanation of why the cones were where they were. Somebody just goofed and placed them on the wrong side of the intersection of taxiway H and taxiway Z. Apparently they were setting up for construction in the future and the cones should have been about 300 yards in the other direction. When ground control contacted the port authority/authorized they sent someone to remove the cones right away. The problem was quickly solved.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT GIVING IOE UPGRADE. DURING TAXI AFTER LNDG FLC FOLLOWED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS BUT ENCOUNTERED ORANGE CONES ACROSS THE TXWY THEY WERE DIRECTED TO USE. SIGHTING MADE TOO LATE TO STOP IN TIME TO AVOID HITTING THE CONES.

Narrative: AFTER 4 HRS OF CAPT UPGRADE IOE, AND AFTER 3 INST APCHS (2 OF WHICH WERE NON PRECISION) WE LANDED ON RWY 22L AT JFK. THE CEILING WAS APPROX 1000 FT MSL, MINIMUMS FOR THE VOR DME RWY 22L APCH. VISIBILITY WAS APPROX 3 MI WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN. WE CLRED THE RWY AT HIGH SPD TXWY H. WE WERE ISSUED A CLRNC TO TURN R ON TXWY Z AND CONTACT GND. AFTER TURNING ON TXWY Z I CONTACTED GND CTL AND WAS ISSUED A CLRNC TO TAXI STRAIGHT AHEAD ON TXWY Z AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 22R. WHILE APCHING THE INTXN OF TXWY G, AND WHILE PERFORMING THE AFTER LNDG CHKLIST, I LOOKED UP TO SEE A ROW OF SHORT (APPROX 18 INCHES) UNLIGHTED CONES ACROSS THE TXWY. THE UPGRADE CAPT SAW THE CONES THE SAME TIME AS MYSELF AND IMMEDIATELY APPLIED MAX BRAKING. THE CONES WERE NOTICED TOO LATE, HOWEVER, AND WE PROCEEDED THROUGH THE BARRIER WITH MAX BRAKES STILL APPLIED. WE STOPPED APPROX 5 FT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CONES. IMMEDIATELY WE ASSESSED THE CONDITION OF THE ACFT -- WE STILL HAD 3 GREEN DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATIONS ON THE LNDG GEAR, AND ALL ENG INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL, SO WE DETERMINED THAT IT WAS SAFE TO CONTINUE TO THE GATE. BEFORE WE PROCEEDED, I CONTACTED GND TO NOTIFY THEM OF WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED, AND TO VERIFY IT WAS SAFE TO PROCEED. GND STATED THAT THE CONES WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE AND, IN FACT, THE CLOSURE WAS S ON TXWY Z, S OF TXWY H. AFTER GETTING CLRED TO TAXI TO THE GATE, I LISTENED TO THE ATIS AGAIN. THERE WERE NO NOTAMS FOR TXWY CLOSURES, AND OUR COMPANY ISSUED WX HAD NO NOTAMS OF CLOSURES EITHER. AFTER DEPLANING THE PAX, THE ACFT WAS INSPECTED BY A MECH AND NO DAMAGE WAS FOUND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THERE WAS NO GOOD EXPLANATION OF WHY THE CONES WERE WHERE THEY WERE. SOMEBODY JUST GOOFED AND PLACED THEM ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE INTXN OF TXWY H AND TXWY Z. APPARENTLY THEY WERE SETTING UP FOR CONSTRUCTION IN THE FUTURE AND THE CONES SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 300 YARDS IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. WHEN GND CTL CONTACTED THE PORT AUTH THEY SENT SOMEONE TO REMOVE THE CONES RIGHT AWAY. THE PROB WAS QUICKLY SOLVED.

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.