Narrative:

Location: exiting runway 22 at taxiway D and taxiway east intersection. Several closed txwys and ramp areas in elp. Landed on runway 22 in elp. On rollout, tower controller requested we expedite and exit taxiway D. Taxiway D and taxiway east are almost intersecting txwys and signage is on one singular sign. Distinguishing these txwys at night is difficult under normal taxi. In an effort to help out the controller, we tried to expedite the runway departure. This caused us to accidentally turn onto taxiway east rather than taxiway D. We informed tower we were still partially on runway 22 and requested maneuver to taxi onto taxiway D via runway 22. Tower approved our request and we received no other comments or instructions from either tower or ground control. However, our extended runway time required one aircraft go around for spacing due to the close sequencing of aircraft. In the future, we will concentrate more on the safe movement of our own aircraft rather than worry about the aircraft behind us. Recommend separate signs for these 2 txwys which are so close together. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter was trying to comply with all of the tower request. There was an aircraft on final that could not be cleared to land until he turned off of the runway. He rushed his exit at a sign that had both 'D' and 'east' taxi instructions. The turnoff sign was confusing to both flight crew, so the turn was made to exit onto 'east.' it was nighttime and clarity of signs was missing. This all led to turning onto the wrong taxiway. The flight crew turned onto 'east' but not far enough for the whole aircraft to exit the runway. It was not known if landing aircraft had to execute a go around. Reporter would like to see one sign designate taxiway D and another designate taxiway east. Reporter feels this would not have happened if the txwys would have been better marked.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 LANDS AT ELP, TX, AND RUSHES TO EXIT THE RWY AT THE REQUEST OF THE TWR. WHEN THE ACFT TAXIES OFF, THE FLC TURNS ONTO THE WRONG TXWY.

Narrative: LOCATION: EXITING RWY 22 AT TXWY D AND TXWY E INTXN. SEVERAL CLOSED TXWYS AND RAMP AREAS IN ELP. LANDED ON RWY 22 IN ELP. ON ROLLOUT, TWR CTLR REQUESTED WE EXPEDITE AND EXIT TXWY D. TXWY D AND TXWY E ARE ALMOST INTERSECTING TXWYS AND SIGNAGE IS ON ONE SINGULAR SIGN. DISTINGUISHING THESE TXWYS AT NIGHT IS DIFFICULT UNDER NORMAL TAXI. IN AN EFFORT TO HELP OUT THE CTLR, WE TRIED TO EXPEDITE THE RWY DEP. THIS CAUSED US TO ACCIDENTALLY TURN ONTO TXWY E RATHER THAN TXWY D. WE INFORMED TWR WE WERE STILL PARTIALLY ON RWY 22 AND REQUESTED MANEUVER TO TAXI ONTO TXWY D VIA RWY 22. TWR APPROVED OUR REQUEST AND WE RECEIVED NO OTHER COMMENTS OR INSTRUCTIONS FROM EITHER TWR OR GND CTL. HOWEVER, OUR EXTENDED RWY TIME REQUIRED ONE ACFT GAR FOR SPACING DUE TO THE CLOSE SEQUENCING OF ACFT. IN THE FUTURE, WE WILL CONCENTRATE MORE ON THE SAFE MOVEMENT OF OUR OWN ACFT RATHER THAN WORRY ABOUT THE ACFT BEHIND US. RECOMMEND SEPARATE SIGNS FOR THESE 2 TXWYS WHICH ARE SO CLOSE TOGETHER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR WAS TRYING TO COMPLY WITH ALL OF THE TWR REQUEST. THERE WAS AN ACFT ON FINAL THAT COULD NOT BE CLRED TO LAND UNTIL HE TURNED OFF OF THE RWY. HE RUSHED HIS EXIT AT A SIGN THAT HAD BOTH 'D' AND 'E' TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. THE TURNOFF SIGN WAS CONFUSING TO BOTH FLC, SO THE TURN WAS MADE TO EXIT ONTO 'E.' IT WAS NIGHTTIME AND CLARITY OF SIGNS WAS MISSING. THIS ALL LED TO TURNING ONTO THE WRONG TXWY. THE FLC TURNED ONTO 'E' BUT NOT FAR ENOUGH FOR THE WHOLE ACFT TO EXIT THE RWY. IT WAS NOT KNOWN IF LNDG ACFT HAD TO EXECUTE A GAR. RPTR WOULD LIKE TO SEE ONE SIGN DESIGNATE TXWY D AND ANOTHER DESIGNATE TXWY E. RPTR FEELS THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF THE TXWYS WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER MARKED.

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.