Narrative:

Ewr airport xw clear. Visibility approachs landed on 4R and rolled to end of runway. Tower instructed us to cross 11-29 (also active runway), taxi on Z and contact ground. Taxiway area is poorly lit and marked. Captain missed the proper turnoff and began to taxi down 11-29 for next exit while I told tower of our unableness to comply with their last taxi clearance. I noticed an aircraft on short final for 11 with us still taxiing on it so I informed tower and they waved the aircraft off for a 360 degree turn to reenter and land at which time we were off the active taxiing back to the gate. A few points to make: 1) ewr is a hard airport to taxi around at night; controllers need to be more understanding and timely in issuing taxi clrncs. 2) airport markings/txwys should be marked and lit properly. 3) crews need to be informed when intersecting active runways are being used at the same time so that we're more aware of the potential conflicts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIC OF WDB UNABLE TO COMPLY WITH TWR'S INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING TXWY ROUTING IN NIGHT OPERATION. MAKES AN UNAUTH RWY ENTRY ON ACTIVE RWY WITH TRAFFIC ON FINAL.

Narrative: EWR ARPT XW CLR. VIS APCHS LANDED ON 4R AND ROLLED TO END OF RWY. TWR INSTRUCTED US TO CROSS 11-29 (ALSO ACTIVE RWY), TAXI ON Z AND CONTACT GND. TXWY AREA IS POORLY LIT AND MARKED. CAPT MISSED THE PROPER TURNOFF AND BEGAN TO TAXI DOWN 11-29 FOR NEXT EXIT WHILE I TOLD TWR OF OUR UNABLENESS TO COMPLY WITH THEIR LAST TAXI CLRNC. I NOTICED AN ACFT ON SHORT FINAL FOR 11 WITH US STILL TAXIING ON IT SO I INFORMED TWR AND THEY WAVED THE ACFT OFF FOR A 360 DEG TURN TO REENTER AND LAND AT WHICH TIME WE WERE OFF THE ACTIVE TAXIING BACK TO THE GATE. A FEW POINTS TO MAKE: 1) EWR IS A HARD ARPT TO TAXI AROUND AT NIGHT; CTLRS NEED TO BE MORE UNDERSTANDING AND TIMELY IN ISSUING TAXI CLRNCS. 2) ARPT MARKINGS/TXWYS SHOULD BE MARKED AND LIT PROPERLY. 3) CREWS NEED TO BE INFORMED WHEN INTERSECTING ACTIVE RWYS ARE BEING USED AT THE SAME TIME SO THAT WE'RE MORE AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL CONFLICTS.

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.