Narrative:

After landing on runway 12 at iad; the tower controller ask us to exit at Q4 which was sooner than my first officer (fp) and I had anticipated. We slowed down to exit the runway and was instructed to contact ground. As we exited the runway we were instructed to switch to ground. The ground controller asked if we were with him; we said 'yes.' I was slowing down to taxi speed when I noticed the 1L approach sign; I braked hard to stop the aircraft. As we got closer to the sign the ground controller gave us instructions to continue and take either left turn and join yankee. This led me to believe I did not have to stop at the 1L approach sign. On the airport chart it states 'expect to exit runway 12 on Q4 taxiway; remain on tower frequency for clearance to cross runway 1L approach path.' on reflection after the flight; from what I understood by reading the stated above on the airport diagram; because I exited at Q4 and its location to the 1L approach I did not need further clearance to cross the approach line. My understanding was further reinforced by ground controller's instruction to continue taxiing. I feel that the instructions on commercial chart as stated above can be difficult to interpret. The instructions could be more clear as to whether or not exiting at Q4 gives you clearance to cross runway 1L approach or; do we need further clearance.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the taxi instructions issued immediately after landing were in conflict with the text on the commercial chart. Even though instructed to contact ground control; it was unclear whether or not they were cleared to cross the runway 1L approach path. Rather than receiving clearance to cross the approach path; they were issued taxi instructions to the ramp.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB145 EXITED RWY 12 AT IAD AT Q4 HIGH SPEED TXWY. THEY CONTACTED GND CONTROL; BUT WERE UNCERTAIN IF A STOP WAS REQUIRED FOR THE RWY 1L APCH PATH.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG ON RWY 12 AT IAD; THE TOWER CTLR ASK US TO EXIT AT Q4 WHICH WAS SOONER THAN MY FO (FP) AND I HAD ANTICIPATED. WE SLOWED DOWN TO EXIT THE RWY AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT GND. AS WE EXITED THE RWY WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO SWITCH TO GND. THE GND CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE WITH HIM; WE SAID 'YES.' I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO TAXI SPEED WHEN I NOTICED THE 1L APCH SIGN; I BRAKED HARD TO STOP THE ACFT. AS WE GOT CLOSER TO THE SIGN THE GND CTLR GAVE US INSTRUCTIONS TO CONTINUE AND TAKE EITHER L TURN AND JOIN YANKEE. THIS LED ME TO BELIEVE I DID NOT HAVE TO STOP AT THE 1L APCH SIGN. ON THE ARPT CHART IT STATES 'EXPECT TO EXIT RWY 12 ON Q4 TXWY; REMAIN ON TOWER FREQUENCY FOR CLRNC TO CROSS RWY 1L APCH PATH.' ON REFLECTION AFTER THE FLT; FROM WHAT I UNDERSTOOD BY READING THE STATED ABOVE ON THE ARPT DIAGRAM; BECAUSE I EXITED AT Q4 AND ITS LOCATION TO THE 1L APCH I DID NOT NEED FURTHER CLRNC TO CROSS THE APCH LINE. MY UNDERSTANDING WAS FURTHER REINFORCED BY GROUND CTLR'S INSTRUCTION TO CONTINUE TAXIING. I FEEL THAT THE INSTRUCTIONS ON COMMERCIAL CHART AS STATED ABOVE CAN BE DIFFICULT TO INTERPRET. THE INSTRUCTIONS COULD BE MORE CLR AS TO WHETHER OR NOT EXITING AT Q4 GIVES YOU CLRNC TO CROSS RWY 1L APCH OR; DO WE NEED FURTHER CLRNC.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED IMMEDIATELY AFTER LNDG WERE IN CONFLICT WITH THE TEXT ON THE COMMERCIAL CHART. EVEN THOUGH INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT GND CONTROL; IT WAS UNCLEAR WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE CLRED TO CROSS THE RWY 1L APCH PATH. RATHER THAN RECEIVING CLRNC TO CROSS THE APCH PATH; THEY WERE ISSUED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO THE RAMP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.