Narrative:

Wrong taxiway taxi. We landed on runway 26 and cleared at taxiway B6. Ground controller instructed us to turn left on taxiway C, right on taxiway south, and hold short of taxiway D, contact south ground on taxiway south. As we approached the north/south txwys, I noticed an rj in the hold bay next to taxiway T with no navigation lights and the anti-collision light on. As we approached the north/south txwys, I made the first right turn (the way we normally transition to the south side) and checked the signage, which indicated we were turning onto taxiway south. As we taxied south, I saw a light coming towards us. The ground controller advised us we had turned on the wrong taxiway. Fortunately, the northbound aircraft was one of ours and was able to clear the taxiway so we could continue south to our gate. Human factors: even though the controller said taxiway south, and we acknowledged it, I was expecting 'normal' routing on taxiway T. I had the 10-9 chart out, but did not consult it. I was distraction by the rj approaching taxiway T. I clearly saw the taxiway south sign, but turned one taxiway prior. What I should have done was check the 10-9 chart to make sure the routing we got was what I had anticipated. Had I checked, we could have asked about the 'nonstandard' routing and perhaps been advised about the northbound aircraft. Never assume. Supplemental information from acn 572386: I went heads down to set south ground (132.55) and to call company to confirm our gate. I did this as we were approaching txwys T and south. The captain was keeping an eye on the rj, and he saw the taxiway south sign between the 2 txwys and turned. I then switched to south ground, and at that time, we noticed a taxi light from another company aircraft pointing our direction. The other aircraft was at the other end of taxiway T at taxiway D approximately 300 yards away. Ground then asked our other company aircraft if they could clear taxiway T on the ramp to the west. They could, and they did. About 95% of my experience in phoenix taxiing, we taxi south on taxiway T and north on taxiway south. I had my 10-9 chart out, but I don't remember referencing to it to confirm the proper taxi route. In my mind, when the captain turned, we were on the right taxiway. From this day forward, I think I will wait to go heads down until we are on a long straight taxiway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TXWY TRANSGRESSION WHEN AN ARR B757-300 FLT CREW TURNS ON THE WRONG TXWY DURING NIGHT OP TAXI TO THE GATE AT PHX. AZ.

Narrative: WRONG TXWY TAXI. WE LANDED ON RWY 26 AND CLRED AT TXWY B6. GND CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO TURN L ON TXWY C, R ON TXWY S, AND HOLD SHORT OF TXWY D, CONTACT S GND ON TXWY S. AS WE APCHED THE N/S TXWYS, I NOTICED AN RJ IN THE HOLD BAY NEXT TO TXWY T WITH NO NAV LIGHTS AND THE ANTI-COLLISION LIGHT ON. AS WE APCHED THE N/S TXWYS, I MADE THE FIRST R TURN (THE WAY WE NORMALLY TRANSITION TO THE S SIDE) AND CHKED THE SIGNAGE, WHICH INDICATED WE WERE TURNING ONTO TXWY S. AS WE TAXIED S, I SAW A LIGHT COMING TOWARDS US. THE GND CTLR ADVISED US WE HAD TURNED ON THE WRONG TXWY. FORTUNATELY, THE NBOUND ACFT WAS ONE OF OURS AND WAS ABLE TO CLR THE TXWY SO WE COULD CONTINUE S TO OUR GATE. HUMAN FACTORS: EVEN THOUGH THE CTLR SAID TXWY S, AND WE ACKNOWLEDGED IT, I WAS EXPECTING 'NORMAL' ROUTING ON TXWY T. I HAD THE 10-9 CHART OUT, BUT DID NOT CONSULT IT. I WAS DISTR BY THE RJ APCHING TXWY T. I CLRLY SAW THE TXWY S SIGN, BUT TURNED ONE TXWY PRIOR. WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE WAS CHK THE 10-9 CHART TO MAKE SURE THE ROUTING WE GOT WAS WHAT I HAD ANTICIPATED. HAD I CHKED, WE COULD HAVE ASKED ABOUT THE 'NONSTANDARD' ROUTING AND PERHAPS BEEN ADVISED ABOUT THE NBOUND ACFT. NEVER ASSUME. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 572386: I WENT HEADS DOWN TO SET S GND (132.55) AND TO CALL COMPANY TO CONFIRM OUR GATE. I DID THIS AS WE WERE APCHING TXWYS T AND S. THE CAPT WAS KEEPING AN EYE ON THE RJ, AND HE SAW THE TXWY S SIGN BTWN THE 2 TXWYS AND TURNED. I THEN SWITCHED TO S GND, AND AT THAT TIME, WE NOTICED A TAXI LIGHT FROM ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT POINTING OUR DIRECTION. THE OTHER ACFT WAS AT THE OTHER END OF TXWY T AT TXWY D APPROX 300 YARDS AWAY. GND THEN ASKED OUR OTHER COMPANY ACFT IF THEY COULD CLR TXWY T ON THE RAMP TO THE W. THEY COULD, AND THEY DID. ABOUT 95% OF MY EXPERIENCE IN PHOENIX TAXIING, WE TAXI S ON TXWY T AND N ON TXWY S. I HAD MY 10-9 CHART OUT, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER REFING TO IT TO CONFIRM THE PROPER TAXI RTE. IN MY MIND, WHEN THE CAPT TURNED, WE WERE ON THE RIGHT TXWY. FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, I THINK I WILL WAIT TO GO HEADS DOWN UNTIL WE ARE ON A LONG STRAIGHT TXWY.

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.