Narrative:

Taxi instruction unclr, confusing, inadequate in providing directions to taxi to active departure runway (runway 33R). Original taxi instructions from ground controller on frequency from spot X were 'aircraft X, taxi to runway 33R, taxiway nc, taxiway we.' these instructions were somewhat clear, although they did not contain the tie-in taxiway of taxiway wb which is required to get to runway 33R. Taxiway we does merge with taxiway wb. On taxiway we, we were given the additional instruction abeam taxiway wd to taxi to runway 33R via taxiway wb. There is a sign at the intersection of taxiway we and taxiway wd that indicates taxiway wb is to the right via taxiway wd. This is the shortest route to taxiway wb. In the absence of a specific transition to taxiway wb, we turned onto taxiway wd for taxiway wb. It is important to note that most of the iah ground controllers do not provide complete taxi instructions to runway 33R. Although an immediate decision was presented to both pilots, we agreed that what he wanted was the shortest transition to taxiway wb and the sign indicating taxiway wb was to the right via taxiway wd validated this decision. After established on taxiway wb via taxiway wd, we were queried by the controller as to why we were there. We believed we had complied with controller instructions, with the lack of a specific taxiway transition to taxiway wb. After re-examining this incident, both of us (pilots) perceived the lack of a specific taxiway transition clearance to taxiway B created this confusion. Furthermore, the sign at the intersection of taxiway we and taxiway wd indicating taxiway wb is to the right off of taxiway we is confusing. Lastly, I believe the use of coded taxi rtes to specific runways would cut down on the excessive radio chatter at major airports, prove to reduce incidence of runway incursions and misunderstood clrncs, and allow controllers to better monitor airport movements in their areas of responsibility.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MLG CREW, TAXIING FOR TKOF AT IAH, MISINTERPED THEIR CLRNC, TURNING ONTO THE WRONG TXWY.

Narrative: TAXI INSTRUCTION UNCLR, CONFUSING, INADEQUATE IN PROVIDING DIRECTIONS TO TAXI TO ACTIVE DEP RWY (RWY 33R). ORIGINAL TAXI INSTRUCTIONS FROM GND CTLR ON FREQ FROM SPOT X WERE 'ACFT X, TAXI TO RWY 33R, TXWY NC, TXWY WE.' THESE INSTRUCTIONS WERE SOMEWHAT CLR, ALTHOUGH THEY DID NOT CONTAIN THE TIE-IN TXWY OF TXWY WB WHICH IS REQUIRED TO GET TO RWY 33R. TXWY WE DOES MERGE WITH TXWY WB. ON TXWY WE, WE WERE GIVEN THE ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTION ABEAM TXWY WD TO TAXI TO RWY 33R VIA TXWY WB. THERE IS A SIGN AT THE INTXN OF TXWY WE AND TXWY WD THAT INDICATES TXWY WB IS TO THE R VIA TXWY WD. THIS IS THE SHORTEST RTE TO TXWY WB. IN THE ABSENCE OF A SPECIFIC TRANSITION TO TXWY WB, WE TURNED ONTO TXWY WD FOR TXWY WB. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT MOST OF THE IAH GND CTLRS DO NOT PROVIDE COMPLETE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO RWY 33R. ALTHOUGH AN IMMEDIATE DECISION WAS PRESENTED TO BOTH PLTS, WE AGREED THAT WHAT HE WANTED WAS THE SHORTEST TRANSITION TO TXWY WB AND THE SIGN INDICATING TXWY WB WAS TO THE R VIA TXWY WD VALIDATED THIS DECISION. AFTER ESTABLISHED ON TXWY WB VIA TXWY WD, WE WERE QUERIED BY THE CTLR AS TO WHY WE WERE THERE. WE BELIEVED WE HAD COMPLIED WITH CTLR INSTRUCTIONS, WITH THE LACK OF A SPECIFIC TXWY TRANSITION TO TXWY WB. AFTER RE-EXAMINING THIS INCIDENT, BOTH OF US (PLTS) PERCEIVED THE LACK OF A SPECIFIC TXWY TRANSITION CLRNC TO TXWY B CREATED THIS CONFUSION. FURTHERMORE, THE SIGN AT THE INTXN OF TXWY WE AND TXWY WD INDICATING TXWY WB IS TO THE R OFF OF TXWY WE IS CONFUSING. LASTLY, I BELIEVE THE USE OF CODED TAXI RTES TO SPECIFIC RWYS WOULD CUT DOWN ON THE EXCESSIVE RADIO CHATTER AT MAJOR ARPTS, PROVE TO REDUCE INCIDENCE OF RWY INCURSIONS AND MISUNDERSTOOD CLRNCS, AND ALLOW CTLRS TO BETTER MONITOR ARPT MOVEMENTS IN THEIR AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY.

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.