Narrative:

At approximately XA10Z on oct/mon/97, our flight was abeam an ord gate when outbound ground gave taxi instructions 'runway 27L, follow the fokker, M5, taxiway M' which I read back exactly and understood. I then repeated to the captain (who heard the instructions also) 'behind the fokker, M5, taxiway M, runway 27L.' we turned left behind the fokker onto taxiway B at which time I went 'heads-down' requesting new takeoff data via the ACARS due to a temperature increase of 3 degrees C over our current data. We proceeded onto taxiway D as the data came up on the printer and I went 'heads down' again to reset all items. When I looked back up, the captain had just taxied by M5. I immediately informed him and he said he was thinking only 'follow the fokker' which was all he remembered from the taxi clearance. I then informed ground that 'we missed M5' and requested taxi clearance to continue straight ahead to M7 which was granted. Chicago O'hare is a very busy place and both pilots need to listen carefully. After the taxi instructions were issued, read back by me, repeated to the captain and acknowledged, I assumed he knew what to do as these were relatively easy for ord. I know I will be more diligent in my duties not to spend time 'heads down' and never assume 'easy' taxi instructions can be followed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG FLC TAXIES THE WRONG RTE WHEN THE CAPT FOLLOWS THE PRECEDING ACFT BEYOND HIS OWN TURNING POINT.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA10Z ON OCT/MON/97, OUR FLT WAS ABEAM AN ORD GATE WHEN OUTBOUND GND GAVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS 'RWY 27L, FOLLOW THE FOKKER, M5, TXWY M' WHICH I READ BACK EXACTLY AND UNDERSTOOD. I THEN REPEATED TO THE CAPT (WHO HEARD THE INSTRUCTIONS ALSO) 'BEHIND THE FOKKER, M5, TXWY M, RWY 27L.' WE TURNED L BEHIND THE FOKKER ONTO TXWY B AT WHICH TIME I WENT 'HEADS-DOWN' REQUESTING NEW TKOF DATA VIA THE ACARS DUE TO A TEMP INCREASE OF 3 DEGS C OVER OUR CURRENT DATA. WE PROCEEDED ONTO TXWY D AS THE DATA CAME UP ON THE PRINTER AND I WENT 'HEADS DOWN' AGAIN TO RESET ALL ITEMS. WHEN I LOOKED BACK UP, THE CAPT HAD JUST TAXIED BY M5. I IMMEDIATELY INFORMED HIM AND HE SAID HE WAS THINKING ONLY 'FOLLOW THE FOKKER' WHICH WAS ALL HE REMEMBERED FROM THE TAXI CLRNC. I THEN INFORMED GND THAT 'WE MISSED M5' AND REQUESTED TAXI CLRNC TO CONTINUE STRAIGHT AHEAD TO M7 WHICH WAS GRANTED. CHICAGO O'HARE IS A VERY BUSY PLACE AND BOTH PLTS NEED TO LISTEN CAREFULLY. AFTER THE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS WERE ISSUED, READ BACK BY ME, REPEATED TO THE CAPT AND ACKNOWLEDGED, I ASSUMED HE KNEW WHAT TO DO AS THESE WERE RELATIVELY EASY FOR ORD. I KNOW I WILL BE MORE DILIGENT IN MY DUTIES NOT TO SPEND TIME 'HEADS DOWN' AND NEVER ASSUME 'EASY' TAXI INSTRUCTIONS CAN BE FOLLOWED.

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.