Narrative:

During predep briefing, first officer advised that aircraft were departing runway 22R/left. Ground control cleared us to taxi to runway 22R via taxiway a and taxiway north. As we passed taxiway N1, tower advised us that we were on a closed taxiway and that we needed to stop. We did so, and then tower told us to turn right and taxi into position and hold runway 22R. We used taxiway N2 and departed normally on runway 22R. I asked first officer if he knew that taxiway north was closed north of taxiway N1. He then stated that ATIS said the departures were using runway 22R and taxiway N1, but he did not remember anything about a taxiway closure north of taxiway N1. Since we were cleared to taxi to runway 22R via taxiway north (no mention of using taxiway N1), the first officer assumed that we were to use the full length. Hence, when I asked him (first officer) what runways were in use, he replied 'runway 22R.' perhaps the pilot getting ATIS should brief the other pilot on all items and not make any assumptions. Also, ground control issued a clearance that was not entirely correct and led us to a closed taxiway. He (ground controller) should have cleared us to runway 22R via taxiway north and taxiway N1. Also no closure marking (flashing light, etc) indicated a closed taxiway. I found out later that taxiway was closed due to a weak spot in the taxiway that cracked earlier in the day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSED TXWY AT BOSTON IS NOT MARKED. TAXI CLRNC MADE NO REF TO CLOSURE. CREW ASSUMES CLRNC TO THE RWY IS TO THE END.

Narrative: DURING PREDEP BRIEFING, FO ADVISED THAT ACFT WERE DEPARTING RWY 22R/L. GND CTL CLRED US TO TAXI TO RWY 22R VIA TXWY A AND TXWY N. AS WE PASSED TXWY N1, TWR ADVISED US THAT WE WERE ON A CLOSED TXWY AND THAT WE NEEDED TO STOP. WE DID SO, AND THEN TWR TOLD US TO TURN R AND TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD RWY 22R. WE USED TXWY N2 AND DEPARTED NORMALLY ON RWY 22R. I ASKED FO IF HE KNEW THAT TXWY N WAS CLOSED N OF TXWY N1. HE THEN STATED THAT ATIS SAID THE DEPS WERE USING RWY 22R AND TXWY N1, BUT HE DID NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING ABOUT A TXWY CLOSURE N OF TXWY N1. SINCE WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 22R VIA TXWY N (NO MENTION OF USING TXWY N1), THE FO ASSUMED THAT WE WERE TO USE THE FULL LENGTH. HENCE, WHEN I ASKED HIM (FO) WHAT RWYS WERE IN USE, HE REPLIED 'RWY 22R.' PERHAPS THE PLT GETTING ATIS SHOULD BRIEF THE OTHER PLT ON ALL ITEMS AND NOT MAKE ANY ASSUMPTIONS. ALSO, GND CTL ISSUED A CLRNC THAT WAS NOT ENTIRELY CORRECT AND LED US TO A CLOSED TXWY. HE (GND CTLR) SHOULD HAVE CLRED US TO RWY 22R VIA TXWY N AND TXWY N1. ALSO NO CLOSURE MARKING (FLASHING LIGHT, ETC) INDICATED A CLOSED TXWY. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT TXWY WAS CLOSED DUE TO A WEAK SPOT IN THE TXWY THAT CRACKED EARLIER IN THE DAY.

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.