Air carrier PIC admits to making two taxi errors in jfk in a night operation.

Attributes
ACN	392870
Time
Date	199802
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 24000 flight time type : 430
ASRS Report	392870
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While taxiing for takeoff on runway 31L the ground controller instructed us to taxi via taxiway B to hold short of taxiway H. At that point in time, we were eastbound on taxiway B. My first officer consulted the airport diagram and told me that we would have to turn right on taxiway J in order to get to taxiway H. This information was in error. Because it was nighttime and therefore more difficult for me to refer to the chart, I elected to follow the suggestion of my first officer without double checking it. After we had turned right on taxiway J, the ground controller noticed our error and instructed us to turn left on runway 22R and proceed to taxiway H. While taxiing on runway 22R, I was watching another airplane crossing the runway ahead of taxiway G and in the process completely passed up taxiway H. By this point in time, the ground controller must have thought we were idiots. One of the most difficult and potentially hazardous phases of flight is the airport ground operation. This was one of my first flts out of jfk adding to the potential confusion factor. In the future, I will not hesitate to ask the ground controller for clarification of any clearance. Also, if necessary, I will bring the airplane to a complete stop on the ground in order to read any chart.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PIC ADMITS TO MAKING TWO TAXI ERRORS IN JFK IN A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING FOR TKOF ON RWY 31L THE GND CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO TAXI VIA TXWY B TO HOLD SHORT OF TXWY H. AT THAT POINT IN TIME, WE WERE EBOUND ON TXWY B. MY FO CONSULTED THE ARPT DIAGRAM AND TOLD ME THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO TURN R ON TXWY J IN ORDER TO GET TO TXWY H. THIS INFO WAS IN ERROR. BECAUSE IT WAS NIGHTTIME AND THEREFORE MORE DIFFICULT FOR ME TO REFER TO THE CHART, I ELECTED TO FOLLOW THE SUGGESTION OF MY FO WITHOUT DOUBLE CHKING IT. AFTER WE HAD TURNED R ON TXWY J, THE GND CTLR NOTICED OUR ERROR AND INSTRUCTED US TO TURN L ON RWY 22R AND PROCEED TO TXWY H. WHILE TAXIING ON RWY 22R, I WAS WATCHING ANOTHER AIRPLANE XING THE RWY AHEAD OF TXWY G AND IN THE PROCESS COMPLETELY PASSED UP TXWY H. BY THIS POINT IN TIME, THE GND CTLR MUST HAVE THOUGHT WE WERE IDIOTS. ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT AND POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS PHASES OF FLT IS THE ARPT GND OP. THIS WAS ONE OF MY FIRST FLTS OUT OF JFK ADDING TO THE POTENTIAL CONFUSION FACTOR. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL NOT HESITATE TO ASK THE GND CTLR FOR CLARIFICATION OF ANY CLRNC. ALSO, IF NECESSARY, I WILL BRING THE AIRPLANE TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE GND IN ORDER TO READ ANY CHART.

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.