A B757 given landing on sdf runway 35R but expecting runway 35L exited at taxiway 'D' with clearance...

Attributes
ACN	750835
Time
Date	200708
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdf.airport
State Reference	KY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	750835
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Events
Anomaly	incursion : taxiway non adherence : clearance non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Situations
Airport	signage : sdf.airport

Narrative:

Expecting runway 35L given runway 35R. After landing and clearing runway 35R we were given taxi instructions; papa to gulf then charlie to the ramp. After reading back the taxi instructions; I looked up to see the signage and saw papa and turned left (onto delta) and taxied to gulf when the ground controller pointed out that I had not used papa. I told him about the signage and he agreed that some of the taxiway signs were not very useful. I continued to the ramp without further issue. No conflicts resulted from my wrong turn.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the signage immediately visible after exiting 35R at 'D3' is 'P' with an arrow right and left. The signage for 'D' at 'D3' is not visible. This leads the pilot to believe that the first taxiway is 'P' when in fact it is 'D'. The reporter stated that after telling him of his error the controller said he has been trying to get someone's attention for years in order to correct this signage that leads to many errors.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 GIVEN LNDG ON SDF RWY 35R BUT EXPECTING RWY 35L EXITED AT TXWY 'D' WITH CLEARANCE TO 'P' BUT TURNED ON 'D' BECAUSE SIGNAGE WAS CONFUSING.

Narrative: EXPECTING RWY 35L GIVEN RWY 35R. AFTER LANDING AND CLEARING RWY 35R WE WERE GIVEN TAXI INSTRUCTIONS; PAPA TO GULF THEN CHARLIE TO THE RAMP. AFTER READING BACK THE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS; I LOOKED UP TO SEE THE SIGNAGE AND SAW PAPA AND TURNED LEFT (ONTO DELTA) AND TAXIED TO GULF WHEN THE GROUND CONTROLLER POINTED OUT THAT I HAD NOT USED PAPA. I TOLD HIM ABOUT THE SIGNAGE AND HE AGREED THAT SOME OF THE TAXIWAY SIGNS WERE NOT VERY USEFUL. I CONTINUED TO THE RAMP WITHOUT FURTHER ISSUE. NO CONFLICTS RESULTED FROM MY WRONG TURN.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THAT THE SIGNAGE IMMEDIATELY VISIBLE AFTER EXITING 35R AT 'D3' IS 'P' WITH AN ARROW RIGHT AND LEFT. THE SIGNAGE FOR 'D' AT 'D3' IS NOT VISIBLE. THIS LEADS THE PILOT TO BELIEVE THAT THE FIRST TXWY IS 'P' WHEN IN FACT IT IS 'D'. THE REPORTER STATED THAT AFTER TELLING HIM OF HIS ERROR THE CONTROLLER SAID HE HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET SOMEONE'S ATTENTION FOR YEARS IN ORDER TO CORRECT THIS SIGNAGE THAT LEADS TO MANY ERRORS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

A B757 given landing on sdf runway 35R but expecting runway 35L exited at taxiway 'D' with clearance to 'P' but turned on 'D' because signage was confusing.