Narrative:

We landed at st marten, netherlands, antilles, in the caribbean. We were requested by the tower to use the midfield turn-around area, and expeditiously execute a 180 degree turn on the runway, and exit at taxiway C. We were very close to the turn area when given these instructions during our landing rollout. We were also slightly right of centerline (there was a strong right crosswind). To expedite our runway reversal and exit, we turned left to execute our 180 degree turn. To turn right, as indicated on the NOTAMS and runway view page, we would have had to taxi/roll out to the end of the runway, then reverse direction. In other words, we turned left instead of right to make our turn in order to comply with the tower's request to expedite clearing from the runway. No comment was made from the tower at the time or during our turn-around layover and later departure. No incident was reported as a result of our opposite direction turn.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 TURNS THE WRONG DIRECTION AT THE TURNING BAY AT ST MAARTEN ISLAND WHEN MAKING THE 180 DEG TURN REQUIRED TO BACK TRACK ON THE RWY.

Narrative: WE LANDED AT ST MARTEN, NETHERLANDS, ANTILLES, IN THE CARIBBEAN. WE WERE REQUESTED BY THE TWR TO USE THE MIDFIELD TURN-AROUND AREA, AND EXPEDITIOUSLY EXECUTE A 180 DEG TURN ON THE RWY, AND EXIT AT TXWY C. WE WERE VERY CLOSE TO THE TURN AREA WHEN GIVEN THESE INSTRUCTIONS DURING OUR LNDG ROLLOUT. WE WERE ALSO SLIGHTLY R OF CTRLINE (THERE WAS A STRONG R XWIND). TO EXPEDITE OUR RWY REVERSAL AND EXIT, WE TURNED L TO EXECUTE OUR 180 DEG TURN. TO TURN R, AS INDICATED ON THE NOTAMS AND RWY VIEW PAGE, WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO TAXI/ROLL OUT TO THE END OF THE RWY, THEN REVERSE DIRECTION. IN OTHER WORDS, WE TURNED L INSTEAD OF R TO MAKE OUR TURN IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE TWR'S REQUEST TO EXPEDITE CLRING FROM THE RWY. NO COMMENT WAS MADE FROM THE TWR AT THE TIME OR DURING OUR TURN-AROUND LAYOVER AND LATER DEP. NO INCIDENT WAS RPTED AS A RESULT OF OUR OPPOSITE DIRECTION TURN.

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.