Narrative:

On landing rollout on dvt runway 25L, I began to exit the runway at taxiway A1 high speed intersection. During this time, the local controller advised me to 'turn left onto taxiway C and contact ground.' taxiway C is the parallel taxiway to runway 7R/25L. I exited the runway at taxiway C6, and turned left onto taxiway C eastbound. I then switched to ground frequency and was preparing to advise them that I was up on frequency and proceeding eastbound to parking. Before I could do this, ground called up asking who I was and what I was doing on the taxiway. I replied that local had told me to turn 'onto' taxiway C and contact ground, and I was doing just that. Ground replied that I was wrong, that my clearance was to turn off the runway onto the high speed taxiway, hold short of the parallel taxiway, and contact ground for taxi clearance. ATC phraseology: at the time, there were maybe 3-5 aircraft in the pattern, with only myself on the ground. When the traffic count is light as it was, local will sometimes just have you exit the runway and monitor or contact ground while taxiing to parking. To me, 'turn left onto taxiway C' means to turn onto the parallel taxiway C. Had the clearance from local been 'aircraft XXX, turn left next exit, taxiway C6, etc, contact ground,' then that means to me, exit the runway on the high speed taxiway, clear the runway, but hold short of the parallel taxiway, and contact ground for further clearance. I believe I followed the clearance I was given. The ground controller further stated that had there been an aircraft on taxiway C, there could have been a ground collision. I did visually clear after exiting the taxiway. I believe that ATC should check their phraseology, and be more specific when necessary.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PLT CHALLENGED BY DVT GND CTLR FOR NOT FOLLOWING LCL CTLR INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: ON LNDG ROLLOUT ON DVT RWY 25L, I BEGAN TO EXIT THE RWY AT TXWY A1 HIGH SPD INTXN. DURING THIS TIME, THE LCL CTLR ADVISED ME TO 'TURN L ONTO TXWY C AND CONTACT GND.' TXWY C IS THE PARALLEL TXWY TO RWY 7R/25L. I EXITED THE RWY AT TXWY C6, AND TURNED L ONTO TXWY C EBOUND. I THEN SWITCHED TO GND FREQ AND WAS PREPARING TO ADVISE THEM THAT I WAS UP ON FREQ AND PROCEEDING EBOUND TO PARKING. BEFORE I COULD DO THIS, GND CALLED UP ASKING WHO I WAS AND WHAT I WAS DOING ON THE TXWY. I REPLIED THAT LCL HAD TOLD ME TO TURN 'ONTO' TXWY C AND CONTACT GND, AND I WAS DOING JUST THAT. GND REPLIED THAT I WAS WRONG, THAT MY CLRNC WAS TO TURN OFF THE RWY ONTO THE HIGH SPD TXWY, HOLD SHORT OF THE PARALLEL TXWY, AND CONTACT GND FOR TAXI CLRNC. ATC PHRASEOLOGY: AT THE TIME, THERE WERE MAYBE 3-5 ACFT IN THE PATTERN, WITH ONLY MYSELF ON THE GND. WHEN THE TFC COUNT IS LIGHT AS IT WAS, LCL WILL SOMETIMES JUST HAVE YOU EXIT THE RWY AND MONITOR OR CONTACT GND WHILE TAXIING TO PARKING. TO ME, 'TURN L ONTO TXWY C' MEANS TO TURN ONTO THE PARALLEL TXWY C. HAD THE CLRNC FROM LCL BEEN 'ACFT XXX, TURN L NEXT EXIT, TXWY C6, ETC, CONTACT GND,' THEN THAT MEANS TO ME, EXIT THE RWY ON THE HIGH SPD TXWY, CLR THE RWY, BUT HOLD SHORT OF THE PARALLEL TXWY, AND CONTACT GND FOR FURTHER CLRNC. I BELIEVE I FOLLOWED THE CLRNC I WAS GIVEN. THE GND CTLR FURTHER STATED THAT HAD THERE BEEN AN ACFT ON TXWY C, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A GND COLLISION. I DID VISUALLY CLR AFTER EXITING THE TXWY. I BELIEVE THAT ATC SHOULD CHK THEIR PHRASEOLOGY, AND BE MORE SPECIFIC WHEN NECESSARY.

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.