Narrative:

We landed at ewr at XA05Z on runway 29. We selected runway 29 because of strong xwinds on runway 4R. The copilot was making the landing, and during deceleration and planning on exiting on taxiway bb, the tower told us (as I understood it) to roll to the end. I acknowledged with the flight number only, and did not read back the full instruction, as I recall. Upon reaching the end of the runway, I started a left turn onto taxiway Z. When well into the turn, the copilot said 'I think he might have said to make a right turnoff.' upon exiting the runway at taxiway Z and contacting ground, we were advised that I had made an illegal turn off the active runway. The reason we were given the right turn became evident as there was an aircraft on taxiway west, with several fire trucks around. I indicated to ground that I missed the right turn instruction. At the time that the runway exit instructions were given, I was involved with airspeed callouts and coming out of reverse, and at a point where I was preparing to take control of the aircraft I was complacent about the instructions and proper readback. I rushed to acknowledge without a clear understanding of the instructions. However, I do feel that if these instructions were given prior to landing we could have better prepared for the landing. Supplemental information from acn 465520: I was the flight engineer. I personally do not recall having heard a right turn at the end, perhaps because I was busy running portions of the after landing taxi checklist and setting up the other radio to operations frequency to confirm gate arrival and taxi instructions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR TURNS, EXITS THE RWY IN THE WRONG DIRECTION AT EWR, NJ.

Narrative: WE LANDED AT EWR AT XA05Z ON RWY 29. WE SELECTED RWY 29 BECAUSE OF STRONG XWINDS ON RWY 4R. THE COPLT WAS MAKING THE LNDG, AND DURING DECELERATION AND PLANNING ON EXITING ON TXWY BB, THE TWR TOLD US (AS I UNDERSTOOD IT) TO ROLL TO THE END. I ACKNOWLEDGED WITH THE FLT NUMBER ONLY, AND DID NOT READ BACK THE FULL INSTRUCTION, AS I RECALL. UPON REACHING THE END OF THE RWY, I STARTED A L TURN ONTO TXWY Z. WHEN WELL INTO THE TURN, THE COPLT SAID 'I THINK HE MIGHT HAVE SAID TO MAKE A R TURNOFF.' UPON EXITING THE RWY AT TXWY Z AND CONTACTING GND, WE WERE ADVISED THAT I HAD MADE AN ILLEGAL TURN OFF THE ACTIVE RWY. THE REASON WE WERE GIVEN THE R TURN BECAME EVIDENT AS THERE WAS AN ACFT ON TXWY W, WITH SEVERAL FIRE TRUCKS AROUND. I INDICATED TO GND THAT I MISSED THE R TURN INSTRUCTION. AT THE TIME THAT THE RWY EXIT INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN, I WAS INVOLVED WITH AIRSPD CALLOUTS AND COMING OUT OF REVERSE, AND AT A POINT WHERE I WAS PREPARING TO TAKE CTL OF THE ACFT I WAS COMPLACENT ABOUT THE INSTRUCTIONS AND PROPER READBACK. I RUSHED TO ACKNOWLEDGE WITHOUT A CLR UNDERSTANDING OF THE INSTRUCTIONS. HOWEVER, I DO FEEL THAT IF THESE INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN PRIOR TO LNDG WE COULD HAVE BETTER PREPARED FOR THE LNDG. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 465520: I WAS THE FE. I PERSONALLY DO NOT RECALL HAVING HEARD A R TURN AT THE END, PERHAPS BECAUSE I WAS BUSY RUNNING PORTIONS OF THE AFTER LNDG TAXI CHKLIST AND SETTING UP THE OTHER RADIO TO OPS FREQ TO CONFIRM GATE ARR AND TAXI INSTRUCTIONS.

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.