Taxi clearance misinterp leads to wrong taxi route.

Attributes
ACN	177265
Time
Date	199104
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bos
State Reference	MA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	177265
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	177265
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

After pushing back from gate, we received taxi instructions to runway 9 at bos. I understood the instructions to be 'taxi-outer-to bravo-to sierra-to 9,' and taxied accordingly. After turning on to sierra, ground control called and said that we were supposed to have gone 'outer-to bravo-to sierra 1-TO 9.' after looking at the ground pilot of bos again, I saw the route he had intended we take. I think the error here was caused by miscom which could be prevented by 2 actions. The naming of the txwys is confusing to begin with. I can't recall any other airport where there is a sierra taxiway and a sierra 1, and even a sierra 2. These would be much better named sierra, tango and uniform, to eliminate confusion. Also sierra leads off of the left end of bravo and sierra 1 leads off of the right end of bravo. If approaching any intersection with a 90 degree intercept and a possibility to turn either direction, taxi instructions should specify, 'left turn on bravo,' or, 'right turn on bravo.' supplemental information from acn 176422: apparently ground control wanted us to go the opp way on bravo to taxiway sierra 1.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TAXI CLRNC MISINTERP LEADS TO WRONG TAXI ROUTE.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHING BACK FROM GATE, WE RECEIVED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO RWY 9 AT BOS. I UNDERSTOOD THE INSTRUCTIONS TO BE 'TAXI-OUTER-TO BRAVO-TO SIERRA-TO 9,' AND TAXIED ACCORDINGLY. AFTER TURNING ON TO SIERRA, GND CTL CALLED AND SAID THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE GONE 'OUTER-TO BRAVO-TO SIERRA 1-TO 9.' AFTER LOOKING AT THE GND PLT OF BOS AGAIN, I SAW THE RTE HE HAD INTENDED WE TAKE. I THINK THE ERROR HERE WAS CAUSED BY MISCOM WHICH COULD BE PREVENTED BY 2 ACTIONS. THE NAMING OF THE TXWYS IS CONFUSING TO BEGIN WITH. I CAN'T RECALL ANY OTHER ARPT WHERE THERE IS A SIERRA TXWY AND A SIERRA 1, AND EVEN A SIERRA 2. THESE WOULD BE MUCH BETTER NAMED SIERRA, TANGO AND UNIFORM, TO ELIMINATE CONFUSION. ALSO SIERRA LEADS OFF OF THE LEFT END OF BRAVO AND SIERRA 1 LEADS OFF OF THE RIGHT END OF BRAVO. IF APCHING ANY INTXN WITH A 90 DEG INTERCEPT AND A POSSIBILITY TO TURN EITHER DIRECTION, TAXI INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD SPECIFY, 'LEFT TURN ON BRAVO,' OR, 'RIGHT TURN ON BRAVO.' SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 176422: APPARENTLY GND CTL WANTED US TO GO THE OPP WAY ON BRAVO TO TXWY SIERRA 1.

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.