Narrative:

At dca when landing runway 18 or runway 36, clearance most often received is 'continue to runway 21' (if land south) or 'continue to runway 33' if north. As I assumed control of the aircraft, I lifted first officer's hands off throttles and said 'I have it.' he queried, 'you have the aircraft?' and I repeated my stated remark. During this tower issued what I heard to be 'continue to runway 31' -- in fact, they said 'continue through runway 33.' first officer asked if I got that, so I said 'roger' to the tower. First officer apparently did not hear or understand the clearance. After I called tower on phone they told me there was no problem, but wondered what had happened. He said this clearance is usually given with clearance to land, or at least before landing, which it was not. Resolution: 1) for controller, use different terminology such as 'runway 33 not available' or 'do not turn off on runway 33.' 2) issue clearance at better time. For pilots: clear in that first officer should have advocated uncertainty regarding the clearance and captain should have confirmed verbally with full clearance. Tower reassured me, there were no problems. Supplemental information from acn 352091: we landed on runway 36 at dca and tower had wanted us to taxi 'through' the intersection of runway 33 and clear at taxiway south. The captain had heard 'runway 33' in the instructions and exited the runway there instead of at taxiway south.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC INSTRUCTION FOR LNDG ARR TFC, AN ACR LGT TURNED OFF ON RWY INSTEAD OF TXWY. UNAUTH RWY ENTRY OP.

Narrative: AT DCA WHEN LNDG RWY 18 OR RWY 36, CLRNC MOST OFTEN RECEIVED IS 'CONTINUE TO RWY 21' (IF LAND S) OR 'CONTINUE TO RWY 33' IF N. AS I ASSUMED CTL OF THE ACFT, I LIFTED FO'S HANDS OFF THROTTLES AND SAID 'I HAVE IT.' HE QUERIED, 'YOU HAVE THE ACFT?' AND I REPEATED MY STATED REMARK. DURING THIS TWR ISSUED WHAT I HEARD TO BE 'CONTINUE TO RWY 31' -- IN FACT, THEY SAID 'CONTINUE THROUGH RWY 33.' FO ASKED IF I GOT THAT, SO I SAID 'ROGER' TO THE TWR. FO APPARENTLY DID NOT HEAR OR UNDERSTAND THE CLRNC. AFTER I CALLED TWR ON PHONE THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NO PROB, BUT WONDERED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. HE SAID THIS CLRNC IS USUALLY GIVEN WITH CLRNC TO LAND, OR AT LEAST BEFORE LNDG, WHICH IT WAS NOT. RESOLUTION: 1) FOR CTLR, USE DIFFERENT TERMINOLOGY SUCH AS 'RWY 33 NOT AVAILABLE' OR 'DO NOT TURN OFF ON RWY 33.' 2) ISSUE CLRNC AT BETTER TIME. FOR PLTS: CLR IN THAT FO SHOULD HAVE ADVOCATED UNCERTAINTY REGARDING THE CLRNC AND CAPT SHOULD HAVE CONFIRMED VERBALLY WITH FULL CLRNC. TWR REASSURED ME, THERE WERE NO PROBS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 352091: WE LANDED ON RWY 36 AT DCA AND TWR HAD WANTED US TO TAXI 'THROUGH' THE INTXN OF RWY 33 AND CLR AT TXWY S. THE CAPT HAD HEARD 'RWY 33' IN THE INSTRUCTIONS AND EXITED THE RWY THERE INSTEAD OF AT TXWY S.

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.