Narrative:

During landing rollout on runway 24R, tower issued multiple instructions for clearing the runway. I was taking control of the aircraft after the first officer's landing. As I was slowing to taxi speed I told tower we would make taxiway K. I pulled off onto taxiway K and stopped until I understood what the instructions were. Tower told us that we needed to move ahead because our tail was still over the runway and he had an aircraft ready to take off and one to land. Cle hold short instructions are complicated enough. It is well known that in some cases, we must hold short even if the tail is on the runway. It would help if the tower would not issue taxi and hold short instructions until the aircraft is turning off the runway. I was still going 80-100 KTS when instructions were given.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-500 FLT CREW IS QUESTIONED BY TWR FOR NOT GETTING HIS TAIL CLR OF RWY 24R AFTER TURNING OFF AND STOPPING ON TXWY K AT CLE, OH.

Narrative: DURING LNDG ROLLOUT ON RWY 24R, TWR ISSUED MULTIPLE INSTRUCTIONS FOR CLRING THE RWY. I WAS TAKING CTL OF THE ACFT AFTER THE FO'S LNDG. AS I WAS SLOWING TO TAXI SPD I TOLD TWR WE WOULD MAKE TXWY K. I PULLED OFF ONTO TXWY K AND STOPPED UNTIL I UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE. TWR TOLD US THAT WE NEEDED TO MOVE AHEAD BECAUSE OUR TAIL WAS STILL OVER THE RWY AND HE HAD AN ACFT READY TO TAKE OFF AND ONE TO LAND. CLE HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTIONS ARE COMPLICATED ENOUGH. IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT IN SOME CASES, WE MUST HOLD SHORT EVEN IF THE TAIL IS ON THE RWY. IT WOULD HELP IF THE TWR WOULD NOT ISSUE TAXI AND HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTIONS UNTIL THE ACFT IS TURNING OFF THE RWY. I WAS STILL GOING 80-100 KTS WHEN INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN.

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.