A310 crew apparently took wrong taxiway at mem.

Attributes
ACN	473224
Time
Date	200005
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem.airport
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A310
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : mem.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 77 flight time total : 5362 flight time type : 1111
ASRS Report	473224
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	incursion : taxiway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We (airbus) just landed mem runway 36L and cleared runway. Switched to ground and were instructed to turn left on taxiway north and follow company (at least that's what we heard). Just prior to turning, we saw another aircraft coming our way (air carrier Z). We stopped prior to turn and questioned ground. They said air carrier Z could get past us and then we could turn left and follow company air carrier Y. There was never any close call -- neither aircraft in danger. Also, ground control and crew with air carrier Z aircraft didn't seem upset. I think part of the problem in this instance was twofold. 1) we were interested in getting off runway because another aircraft was behind us for landing. 2) at least part of taxi instructions were issued while we were slowing the aircraft down and exiting the runway. When stopping/slowing aircraft during landing rollout is not really the time to obtain taxi directions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A310 CREW APPARENTLY TOOK WRONG TXWY AT MEM.

Narrative: WE (AIRBUS) JUST LANDED MEM RWY 36L AND CLRED RWY. SWITCHED TO GND AND WERE INSTRUCTED TO TURN L ON TXWY N AND FOLLOW COMPANY (AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT WE HEARD). JUST PRIOR TO TURNING, WE SAW ANOTHER ACFT COMING OUR WAY (ACR Z). WE STOPPED PRIOR TO TURN AND QUESTIONED GND. THEY SAID ACR Z COULD GET PAST US AND THEN WE COULD TURN L AND FOLLOW COMPANY ACR Y. THERE WAS NEVER ANY CLOSE CALL -- NEITHER ACFT IN DANGER. ALSO, GND CTL AND CREW WITH ACR Z ACFT DIDN'T SEEM UPSET. I THINK PART OF THE PROB IN THIS INSTANCE WAS TWOFOLD. 1) WE WERE INTERESTED IN GETTING OFF RWY BECAUSE ANOTHER ACFT WAS BEHIND US FOR LNDG. 2) AT LEAST PART OF TAXI INSTRUCTIONS WERE ISSUED WHILE WE WERE SLOWING THE ACFT DOWN AND EXITING THE RWY. WHEN STOPPING/SLOWING ACFT DURING LNDG ROLLOUT IS NOT REALLY THE TIME TO OBTAIN TAXI DIRECTIONS.

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.