Narrative:

Time: XX04Z. ATC frequency: 118.7. ATC facility: yvr south tower. Location: runway 26L yvr. On landing roll runway 26L, tower instructed us to turn left on taxiway H. PF (captain) was just approaching a diagonal taxiway. He used moderate braking and turned right. After he was committed to this intersection tower said we were at D2 and not H, but go ahead and exit there since there was traffic on short final. He also commented D2 was weight restr -- this is noted on commercial chart 10-9 page. Captain understood tower wanted an immediate exit from the runway which is why he turned in the first place. During the approach brief we had discussed H as the desired exit point. Factors were darkness, hard to read taxiway signs, and the controller's ill-timed exit instructions. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: pilot stated that all taxi signs from the runway are difficult to see unless you are in their close proximity. Signs are adequate for daytime use but not readable during times of darkness. For nighttime use, pilot strongly suggests sign be larger and more brightly lit. Captain could not identify taxiway signs any better than the first officer. He used heavy braking to make the taxiway he thought he should be using only to find he was on the taxiway prior to the tower request.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 USES WRONG TXWY TO DEPART RWY AT YVR (148 PT 60).

Narrative: TIME: XX04Z. ATC FREQ: 118.7. ATC FACILITY: YVR S TWR. LOCATION: RWY 26L YVR. ON LNDG ROLL RWY 26L, TWR INSTRUCTED US TO TURN L ON TXWY H. PF (CAPT) WAS JUST APCHING A DIAGONAL TXWY. HE USED MODERATE BRAKING AND TURNED R. AFTER HE WAS COMMITTED TO THIS INTXN TWR SAID WE WERE AT D2 AND NOT H, BUT GO AHEAD AND EXIT THERE SINCE THERE WAS TFC ON SHORT FINAL. HE ALSO COMMENTED D2 WAS WT RESTR -- THIS IS NOTED ON COMMERCIAL CHART 10-9 PAGE. CAPT UNDERSTOOD TWR WANTED AN IMMEDIATE EXIT FROM THE RWY WHICH IS WHY HE TURNED IN THE FIRST PLACE. DURING THE APCH BRIEF WE HAD DISCUSSED H AS THE DESIRED EXIT POINT. FACTORS WERE DARKNESS, HARD TO READ TXWY SIGNS, AND THE CTLR'S ILL-TIMED EXIT INSTRUCTIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: PLT STATED THAT ALL TAXI SIGNS FROM THE RWY ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE UNLESS YOU ARE IN THEIR CLOSE PROX. SIGNS ARE ADEQUATE FOR DAYTIME USE BUT NOT READABLE DURING TIMES OF DARKNESS. FOR NIGHTTIME USE, PLT STRONGLY SUGGESTS SIGN BE LARGER AND MORE BRIGHTLY LIT. CAPT COULD NOT IDENT TXWY SIGNS ANY BETTER THAN THE FO. HE USED HVY BRAKING TO MAKE THE TXWY HE THOUGHT HE SHOULD BE USING ONLY TO FIND HE WAS ON THE TXWY PRIOR TO THE TWR REQUEST.

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.