Narrative:

After landing on runway 28R, the tower controller instructed us to 'turn left on taxiway D, taxi to park.' I read back the following 'left on delta, taxi to park with you.' the captain called for the after landing checklist and I started on that. The captain turned right onto taxiway a, crossed runway 7 and turned left onto taxiway G. The tower controller contacted us after we turned onto taxiway G and said 'aircraft X, in the future, use taxiway J so you don't have to cross runway 7.' I replied 'roger, we'll use taxiway J in the future.' the captain queried the tower controller about this statement, and the controller said '...it is expected for you to use taxiway J.' runway 7 was not active or in use at the time of the incident. My understanding of the aim is that a 'taxi to park' or 'taxi to ramp' clearance clears you to cross all runways and taxi intxns on the way to the ramp or parking area. By the time I completed the after landing checklist, we were turning left off of taxiway a onto taxiway G. I should have been more alert and queried the captain why he turned onto taxiway a instead of crossing taxiway a on taxiway D, then turning right on taxiway J. Using taxiway J is shorter than using taxiway a and I can understand why the controller assumed the captain would use it (taxiway J). Other controllers either add 'via taxiway J' to their instructions, or don't care which way you take. I could have queried the controller, but there are so many instances where the controllers give us this same clearance 'turn left on taxiway D' (or whatever taxiway) 'taxi to park,' and nothing is ever said. The captain had complained about having a headache on the outbound leg. This may have affected his judgement. I don't see what we did as wrong. We were following the clearance we were given. The problem is that the controller expected us to do one thing, and we did another, which was still in accordance with his instructions. We as pilots should query ATC if there is more than 1 way of complying with a taxi clearance. Also, ATC needs to specify their preferred route if there is more than 1 way to comply. In addition, the controller had lots of time to tell us to do a 360 degree turn on taxiway a and use taxiway J. We went on another flight later that day, and landed on runway 28R and exited at taxiway D. This time the controller cleared us to 'taxi to park via taxiway J.' problem solved.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER LNDG RWY 28R AT BIL, FLT CREW EXITED AT TXWY D AND WAS CLRED 'TO PARK' VIA THE LCL CTLR. TOOK RTE UNINTENDED BY CTLR AND CROSSED RWY 7-25 ENRTE TO PARKING.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG ON RWY 28R, THE TWR CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO 'TURN L ON TXWY D, TAXI TO PARK.' I READ BACK THE FOLLOWING 'L ON DELTA, TAXI TO PARK WITH YOU.' THE CAPT CALLED FOR THE AFTER LNDG CHKLIST AND I STARTED ON THAT. THE CAPT TURNED R ONTO TXWY A, CROSSED RWY 7 AND TURNED L ONTO TXWY G. THE TWR CTLR CONTACTED US AFTER WE TURNED ONTO TXWY G AND SAID 'ACFT X, IN THE FUTURE, USE TXWY J SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO CROSS RWY 7.' I REPLIED 'ROGER, WE'LL USE TXWY J IN THE FUTURE.' THE CAPT QUERIED THE TWR CTLR ABOUT THIS STATEMENT, AND THE CTLR SAID '...IT IS EXPECTED FOR YOU TO USE TXWY J.' RWY 7 WAS NOT ACTIVE OR IN USE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE AIM IS THAT A 'TAXI TO PARK' OR 'TAXI TO RAMP' CLRNC CLRS YOU TO CROSS ALL RWYS AND TAXI INTXNS ON THE WAY TO THE RAMP OR PARKING AREA. BY THE TIME I COMPLETED THE AFTER LNDG CHKLIST, WE WERE TURNING L OFF OF TXWY A ONTO TXWY G. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE ALERT AND QUERIED THE CAPT WHY HE TURNED ONTO TXWY A INSTEAD OF XING TXWY A ON TXWY D, THEN TURNING R ON TXWY J. USING TXWY J IS SHORTER THAN USING TXWY A AND I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THE CTLR ASSUMED THE CAPT WOULD USE IT (TXWY J). OTHER CTLRS EITHER ADD 'VIA TXWY J' TO THEIR INSTRUCTIONS, OR DON'T CARE WHICH WAY YOU TAKE. I COULD HAVE QUERIED THE CTLR, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY INSTANCES WHERE THE CTLRS GIVE US THIS SAME CLRNC 'TURN L ON TXWY D' (OR WHATEVER TXWY) 'TAXI TO PARK,' AND NOTHING IS EVER SAID. THE CAPT HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT HAVING A HEADACHE ON THE OUTBOUND LEG. THIS MAY HAVE AFFECTED HIS JUDGEMENT. I DON'T SEE WHAT WE DID AS WRONG. WE WERE FOLLOWING THE CLRNC WE WERE GIVEN. THE PROB IS THAT THE CTLR EXPECTED US TO DO ONE THING, AND WE DID ANOTHER, WHICH WAS STILL IN ACCORDANCE WITH HIS INSTRUCTIONS. WE AS PLTS SHOULD QUERY ATC IF THERE IS MORE THAN 1 WAY OF COMPLYING WITH A TAXI CLRNC. ALSO, ATC NEEDS TO SPECIFY THEIR PREFERRED RTE IF THERE IS MORE THAN 1 WAY TO COMPLY. IN ADDITION, THE CTLR HAD LOTS OF TIME TO TELL US TO DO A 360 DEG TURN ON TXWY A AND USE TXWY J. WE WENT ON ANOTHER FLT LATER THAT DAY, AND LANDED ON RWY 28R AND EXITED AT TXWY D. THIS TIME THE CTLR CLRED US TO 'TAXI TO PARK VIA TXWY J.' PROB SOLVED.

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.