A320 crew taxiing out for takeoff at lga misunderstands controllers instructions.

Attributes
ACN	490543
Time
Date	200011
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : lga.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 179 flight time total : 19998 flight time type : 368
ASRS Report	490543
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	incursion : taxiway non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I thought my clearance was to taxi on bravo and foxtrot. However, as I turned onto the taxiway I noticed opposite direction traffic. The controller intervened, and gave us revised instructions. Apparently we missed the first part of his instructions, which were alpha, bravo, foxtrot. Frequency congestion, combined with fast talking controllers, make these kind of events very possible. In the future, I will listen very carefully, and make sure the clearance makes sense, with regards to other ground traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CREW TAXIING OUT FOR TKOF AT LGA MISUNDERSTANDS CTLRS INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: I THOUGHT MY CLRNC WAS TO TAXI ON BRAVO AND FOXTROT. HOWEVER, AS I TURNED ONTO THE TXWY I NOTICED OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC. THE CTLR INTERVENED, AND GAVE US REVISED INSTRUCTIONS. APPARENTLY WE MISSED THE FIRST PART OF HIS INSTRUCTIONS, WHICH WERE ALPHA, BRAVO, FOXTROT. FREQ CONGESTION, COMBINED WITH FAST TALKING CTLRS, MAKE THESE KIND OF EVENTS VERY POSSIBLE. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY, AND MAKE SURE THE CLRNC MAKES SENSE, WITH REGARDS TO OTHER GND TFC.

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.