An air carrier medium large transport flight crew taxies the wrong route when the captain follows th...

Attributes
ACN	382970
Time
Date	199710
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	382970
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At approximately XA10Z on oct/mon/97, our flight was abeam an ord gate when outbound ground gave taxi instructions 'runway 27L, follow the fokker, M5, taxiway M' which I read back exactly and understood. I then repeated to the captain (who heard the instructions also) 'behind the fokker, M5, taxiway M, runway 27L.' we turned left behind the fokker onto taxiway B at which time I went 'heads-down' requesting new takeoff data via the ACARS due to a temperature increase of 3 degrees C over our current data. We proceeded onto taxiway D as the data came up on the printer and I went 'heads down' again to reset all items. When I looked back up, the captain had just taxied by M5. I immediately informed him and he said he was thinking only 'follow the fokker' which was all he remembered from the taxi clearance. I then informed ground that 'we missed M5' and requested taxi clearance to continue straight ahead to M7 which was granted. Chicago O'hare is a very busy place and both pilots need to listen carefully. After the taxi instructions were issued, read back by me, repeated to the captain and acknowledged, I assumed he knew what to do as these were relatively easy for ord. I know I will be more diligent in my duties not to spend time 'heads down' and never assume 'easy' taxi instructions can be followed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG FLC TAXIES THE WRONG RTE WHEN THE CAPT FOLLOWS THE PRECEDING ACFT BEYOND HIS OWN TURNING POINT.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA10Z ON OCT/MON/97, OUR FLT WAS ABEAM AN ORD GATE WHEN OUTBOUND GND GAVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS 'RWY 27L, FOLLOW THE FOKKER, M5, TXWY M' WHICH I READ BACK EXACTLY AND UNDERSTOOD. I THEN REPEATED TO THE CAPT (WHO HEARD THE INSTRUCTIONS ALSO) 'BEHIND THE FOKKER, M5, TXWY M, RWY 27L.' WE TURNED L BEHIND THE FOKKER ONTO TXWY B AT WHICH TIME I WENT 'HEADS-DOWN' REQUESTING NEW TKOF DATA VIA THE ACARS DUE TO A TEMP INCREASE OF 3 DEGS C OVER OUR CURRENT DATA. WE PROCEEDED ONTO TXWY D AS THE DATA CAME UP ON THE PRINTER AND I WENT 'HEADS DOWN' AGAIN TO RESET ALL ITEMS. WHEN I LOOKED BACK UP, THE CAPT HAD JUST TAXIED BY M5. I IMMEDIATELY INFORMED HIM AND HE SAID HE WAS THINKING ONLY 'FOLLOW THE FOKKER' WHICH WAS ALL HE REMEMBERED FROM THE TAXI CLRNC. I THEN INFORMED GND THAT 'WE MISSED M5' AND REQUESTED TAXI CLRNC TO CONTINUE STRAIGHT AHEAD TO M7 WHICH WAS GRANTED. CHICAGO O'HARE IS A VERY BUSY PLACE AND BOTH PLTS NEED TO LISTEN CAREFULLY. AFTER THE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS WERE ISSUED, READ BACK BY ME, REPEATED TO THE CAPT AND ACKNOWLEDGED, I ASSUMED HE KNEW WHAT TO DO AS THESE WERE RELATIVELY EASY FOR ORD. I KNOW I WILL BE MORE DILIGENT IN MY DUTIES NOT TO SPEND TIME 'HEADS DOWN' AND NEVER ASSUME 'EASY' TAXI INSTRUCTIONS CAN BE FOLLOWED.

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.

An air carrier medium large transport flight crew taxies the wrong route when the captain follows the preceding aircraft beyond his own turning point.