Ground controller cleared a widebody transport aircraft to taxi down a taxiway closed to aircraft la...

Attributes
ACN	542479
Time
Date	200203
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mia.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ewr.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : private pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	controller military : 7.5 flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 8730 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	542479
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	incursion : taxiway non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Airport ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Taxiway north runway 9L. Acknowledged. During taxi, construction on right side of taxiway observed. Stopped aircraft. Tower advised 'air carrier X stop.' no carrier NOTAM on construction. NOTAMS rechked. ATIS had 'taxiway north between taxiway H and taxiway Y restr to B757 or smaller.' such an ATIS statement requires knowledge of B757 size by controller and other pilots who may not have any knowledge or experience in boeing airplanes and B757. Is the B757 bigger or smaller than the jet we are flying? Decision responsibility based on premise that everyone knows the size of a B757 and 'smaller.' smaller in structure (wing spread for obstacle clearance) or smaller in weight (for load due to digging by taxiway). Just what does 'smaller' mean? Use of such terminology is dangerous. The better practice is to close the portion of the taxiway involved.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GND CTLR CLRED A WDB ACFT TO TAXI DOWN A TXWY CLOSED TO ACFT LARGER THAN A B757.

Narrative: TXWY N RWY 9L. ACKNOWLEDGED. DURING TAXI, CONSTRUCTION ON R SIDE OF TXWY OBSERVED. STOPPED ACFT. TWR ADVISED 'ACR X STOP.' NO CARRIER NOTAM ON CONSTRUCTION. NOTAMS RECHKED. ATIS HAD 'TXWY N BTWN TXWY H AND TXWY Y RESTR TO B757 OR SMALLER.' SUCH AN ATIS STATEMENT REQUIRES KNOWLEDGE OF B757 SIZE BY CTLR AND OTHER PLTS WHO MAY NOT HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE OR EXPERIENCE IN BOEING AIRPLANES AND B757. IS THE B757 BIGGER OR SMALLER THAN THE JET WE ARE FLYING? DECISION RESPONSIBILITY BASED ON PREMISE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THE SIZE OF A B757 AND 'SMALLER.' SMALLER IN STRUCTURE (WING SPREAD FOR OBSTACLE CLRNC) OR SMALLER IN WT (FOR LOAD DUE TO DIGGING BY TXWY). JUST WHAT DOES 'SMALLER' MEAN? USE OF SUCH TERMINOLOGY IS DANGEROUS. THE BETTER PRACTICE IS TO CLOSE THE PORTION OF THE TXWY INVOLVED.

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.

Ground controller cleared a widebody transport aircraft to taxi down a taxiway closed to aircraft larger than a B757.