Narrative:

Landing runway 8R lgw (london, gatwick) visibility good. Initially cleared for third high speed turn to exit runway. Received clearance to take high speed turnoff #1 from tower. Switch to ground, told to turn right on runway 8L to taxiway 5 and taxiway 2 to the ramp spot. First officer and fb not very familiar with gatwick operations, controller difficult to understand with accent and rapid speech. We crossed runway 5L and turned right on taxiway 2 to continue to the ramp. Confusion in the cockpit as to instructions. I had my head down looking for the taxiway 5 and taxiway 2. Ground control (121.8) told us we were proceeding incorrectly on taxiway 2 and that we had crossed red stop bar lights (unspecified location). We proceeded to the gate uneventfully. I had my head down in the dimly lit cockpit trying unsuccessfully to figure out where we were supposed to go and did not observe any red stop bar lights. Ground control did not seem very concerned and I believe there were no conflicts of an immediate nature. Lessons learned: if confusion exists, tell the controller. Very senior captain was very sure of himself, and incorrectly so.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A B767-300ER FAILED TO FOLLOW THE TAXI RTE GIVEN AND CROSSED RED STOP BAR LIGHTS DURING TAXIING TO THE GATE AFTER LNDG.

Narrative: LNDG RWY 8R LGW (LONDON, GATWICK) VISIBILITY GOOD. INITIALLY CLRED FOR THIRD HIGH SPD TURN TO EXIT RWY. RECEIVED CLRNC TO TAKE HIGH SPD TURNOFF #1 FROM TWR. SWITCH TO GND, TOLD TO TURN R ON RWY 8L TO TXWY 5 AND TXWY 2 TO THE RAMP SPOT. FO AND FB NOT VERY FAMILIAR WITH GATWICK OPS, CTLR DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND WITH ACCENT AND RAPID SPEECH. WE CROSSED RWY 5L AND TURNED R ON TXWY 2 TO CONTINUE TO THE RAMP. CONFUSION IN THE COCKPIT AS TO INSTRUCTIONS. I HAD MY HEAD DOWN LOOKING FOR THE TXWY 5 AND TXWY 2. GND CTL (121.8) TOLD US WE WERE PROCEEDING INCORRECTLY ON TXWY 2 AND THAT WE HAD CROSSED RED STOP BAR LIGHTS (UNSPECIFIED LOCATION). WE PROCEEDED TO THE GATE UNEVENTFULLY. I HAD MY HEAD DOWN IN THE DIMLY LIT COCKPIT TRYING UNSUCCESSFULLY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GO AND DID NOT OBSERVE ANY RED STOP BAR LIGHTS. GND CTL DID NOT SEEM VERY CONCERNED AND I BELIEVE THERE WERE NO CONFLICTS OF AN IMMEDIATE NATURE. LESSONS LEARNED: IF CONFUSION EXISTS, TELL THE CTLR. VERY SENIOR CAPT WAS VERY SURE OF HIMSELF, AND INCORRECTLY SO.

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.