Narrative:

At decision height I sighted the 'rabbit' so we continued the descent. At 100 ft I had the runway environment, but just barely. We went visual and decided to land. On the rollout, approach asked if we had mins at landing to which I replied 'affirmative.' he relayed this information to air carrier, who was being vectored for the approach. The controller was handling 3 position -- approach, tower, and ground. He had cleared us to land while we were still outside the marker and as often happens at night, I expected him to clear us to the ramp and remain on his frequency. When we cleared the runway, I asked if he wanted us to stay with him or go to ground. He just said 'flight number, thank you' and continued talking to air carrier. For some reason I interpreted his response as a clearance to taxi to the gate, which of course, it was not. Many things were at work in this situation. I was under tremendous personal stress. I had been pressured into working that day with threats from crew scheduling. There were work related stresses to include disagreement on regulations with the captain. A tight approach and the freakish behavior of the GPWS. There were assumptions on my part with regard to ATC's intentions. I expected to be cleared to the ramp on his frequency and readily interpreted his vague response to mean that.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF ACR LTT ACFT INADVERTENTLY TAXIED TO RAMP AFTER LNDG WITHOUT CLRNC DUE TO MISINTERPRETING TWR COMMENT AFTER LNDG.

Narrative: AT DECISION HEIGHT I SIGHTED THE 'RABBIT' SO WE CONTINUED THE DSCNT. AT 100 FT I HAD THE RWY ENVIRONMENT, BUT JUST BARELY. WE WENT VISUAL AND DECIDED TO LAND. ON THE ROLLOUT, APCH ASKED IF WE HAD MINS AT LNDG TO WHICH I REPLIED 'AFFIRMATIVE.' HE RELAYED THIS INFO TO ACR, WHO WAS BEING VECTORED FOR THE APCH. THE CTLR WAS HANDLING 3 POS -- APCH, TWR, AND GND. HE HAD CLRED US TO LAND WHILE WE WERE STILL OUTSIDE THE MARKER AND AS OFTEN HAPPENS AT NIGHT, I EXPECTED HIM TO CLR US TO THE RAMP AND REMAIN ON HIS FREQ. WHEN WE CLRED THE RWY, I ASKED IF HE WANTED US TO STAY WITH HIM OR GO TO GND. HE JUST SAID 'FLT NUMBER, THANK YOU' AND CONTINUED TALKING TO ACR. FOR SOME REASON I INTERPRETED HIS RESPONSE AS A CLRNC TO TAXI TO THE GATE, WHICH OF COURSE, IT WAS NOT. MANY THINGS WERE AT WORK IN THIS SITUATION. I WAS UNDER TREMENDOUS PERSONAL STRESS. I HAD BEEN PRESSURED INTO WORKING THAT DAY WITH THREATS FROM CREW SCHEDULING. THERE WERE WORK RELATED STRESSES TO INCLUDE DISAGREEMENT ON REGS WITH THE CAPT. A TIGHT APCH AND THE FREAKISH BEHAVIOR OF THE GPWS. THERE WERE ASSUMPTIONS ON MY PART WITH REGARD TO ATC'S INTENTIONS. I EXPECTED TO BE CLRED TO THE RAMP ON HIS FREQ AND READILY INTERPRETED HIS VAGUE RESPONSE TO MEAN THAT.

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.