E120 PIC questions dfw ground controller taxi clearance.

Attributes
ACN	466920
Time
Date	200003
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Fog other
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 119
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 4400 flight time type : 2600
ASRS Report	466920
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

On the ground at dfw, we were given taxi instructions of 'left on taxiway B, left on taxiway K, standard taxi to runway 17R, except ej.' just after starting the taxi, I had the first officer clarify the instructions...what did 'except ej' mean. The controller clarified with us that the 'except ej' meant to hold short of runway 12L at 'ej' instead of holding short at taxiway Z. There were 3 other commuter flts ahead of us that had received the same instructions and all 3 aircraft took different taxi routes to the runway. With the recent increase in runway incursions, an incident like this demonstrated how unclr instructions can lead to pilots being lost or taking the wrong route at a busy airport. The 'non standard' routing was due to ILS critical areas on runway 17C and the need to avoid these areas. I would suggest that in the future, 'standard taxi' instructions not be used if there is any modification on the route. I was disappointed that none of the other 3 aircraft stopped to clarify the instructions. Had the WX been poorer, there would be 3 aircraft lost at dfw at once -- from an easily rectified problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E120 PIC QUESTIONS DFW GND CTLR TAXI CLRNC.

Narrative: ON THE GND AT DFW, WE WERE GIVEN TAXI INSTRUCTIONS OF 'L ON TXWY B, L ON TXWY K, STANDARD TAXI TO RWY 17R, EXCEPT EJ.' JUST AFTER STARTING THE TAXI, I HAD THE FO CLARIFY THE INSTRUCTIONS...WHAT DID 'EXCEPT EJ' MEAN. THE CTLR CLARIFIED WITH US THAT THE 'EXCEPT EJ' MEANT TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 12L AT 'EJ' INSTEAD OF HOLDING SHORT AT TXWY Z. THERE WERE 3 OTHER COMMUTER FLTS AHEAD OF US THAT HAD RECEIVED THE SAME INSTRUCTIONS AND ALL 3 ACFT TOOK DIFFERENT TAXI ROUTES TO THE RWY. WITH THE RECENT INCREASE IN RWY INCURSIONS, AN INCIDENT LIKE THIS DEMONSTRATED HOW UNCLR INSTRUCTIONS CAN LEAD TO PLTS BEING LOST OR TAKING THE WRONG RTE AT A BUSY ARPT. THE 'NON STANDARD' ROUTING WAS DUE TO ILS CRITICAL AREAS ON RWY 17C AND THE NEED TO AVOID THESE AREAS. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IN THE FUTURE, 'STANDARD TAXI' INSTRUCTIONS NOT BE USED IF THERE IS ANY MODIFICATION ON THE RTE. I WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT NONE OF THE OTHER 3 ACFT STOPPED TO CLARIFY THE INSTRUCTIONS. HAD THE WX BEEN POORER, THERE WOULD BE 3 ACFT LOST AT DFW AT ONCE -- FROM AN EASILY RECTIFIED PROB.

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.