Narrative:

After landing, phl tower instructed us to 'taxi via taxiway K to spot X, ramp control is closed, taxi to the gate.' upon arriving at spot X, we taxied via taxiway J to our gate. After arriving at our gate, I realized I taxied on a closed taxiway (ATIS reported 'taxiway J closed between taxiway Q and taxiway north'). Although I was aware of this closure prior to landing, I had in my mind that it would not affect our taxi to the gate since ATC normally instructs us to taxi to spot Y (a spot just outside our gate area and clear of the closed section of taxiway J). Since I realized I was on spot X (not spot Y) and instructed to 'taxi to the gate,' I mistakenly taxied on a closed section of taxiway J. Contributing factors for the error: 1) I was 'expecting' spot Y instead of spot X. I should not have assumed. 2) the flight crew had just landed after having to divert to ewr due to thunderstorms in phl and to get more fuel for a re-dispatch to phl. We were on 'information overload' dealing with very short diversion flts, WX, flight plan changes, etc. 3) phl tower thought our gate was close to spot X, which it was not. 4) no cones, barriers, etc, to physically identify the taxiway closure and nothing was communicated to us from phl tower. 5) nighttime, thunderstorms, heavy rain, ramp was closed. Flight crew flying 9+ hours this day in constantly changing WX/fuel considerations. We were tired after landing. 6) phl tower would never have given us spot X had he realized our gate was close to spot Y. I'm sure he was exhausted too.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB145 FLT CREW TAXIED ON A CLOSED TXWY WHEN GOING TO THEIR GATE DURING A NIGHT OP AT PHL, PA.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG, PHL TWR INSTRUCTED US TO 'TAXI VIA TXWY K TO SPOT X, RAMP CTL IS CLOSED, TAXI TO THE GATE.' UPON ARRIVING AT SPOT X, WE TAXIED VIA TXWY J TO OUR GATE. AFTER ARRIVING AT OUR GATE, I REALIZED I TAXIED ON A CLOSED TXWY (ATIS RPTED 'TXWY J CLOSED BTWN TXWY Q AND TXWY N'). ALTHOUGH I WAS AWARE OF THIS CLOSURE PRIOR TO LNDG, I HAD IN MY MIND THAT IT WOULD NOT AFFECT OUR TAXI TO THE GATE SINCE ATC NORMALLY INSTRUCTS US TO TAXI TO SPOT Y (A SPOT JUST OUTSIDE OUR GATE AREA AND CLR OF THE CLOSED SECTION OF TXWY J). SINCE I REALIZED I WAS ON SPOT X (NOT SPOT Y) AND INSTRUCTED TO 'TAXI TO THE GATE,' I MISTAKENLY TAXIED ON A CLOSED SECTION OF TXWY J. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS FOR THE ERROR: 1) I WAS 'EXPECTING' SPOT Y INSTEAD OF SPOT X. I SHOULD NOT HAVE ASSUMED. 2) THE FLT CREW HAD JUST LANDED AFTER HAVING TO DIVERT TO EWR DUE TO TSTMS IN PHL AND TO GET MORE FUEL FOR A RE-DISPATCH TO PHL. WE WERE ON 'INFO OVERLOAD' DEALING WITH VERY SHORT DIVERSION FLTS, WX, FLT PLAN CHANGES, ETC. 3) PHL TWR THOUGHT OUR GATE WAS CLOSE TO SPOT X, WHICH IT WAS NOT. 4) NO CONES, BARRIERS, ETC, TO PHYSICALLY IDENT THE TXWY CLOSURE AND NOTHING WAS COMMUNICATED TO US FROM PHL TWR. 5) NIGHTTIME, TSTMS, HVY RAIN, RAMP WAS CLOSED. FLT CREW FLYING 9+ HRS THIS DAY IN CONSTANTLY CHANGING WX/FUEL CONSIDERATIONS. WE WERE TIRED AFTER LNDG. 6) PHL TWR WOULD NEVER HAVE GIVEN US SPOT X HAD HE REALIZED OUR GATE WAS CLOSE TO SPOT Y. I'M SURE HE WAS EXHAUSTED TOO.

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.