B732 crew misinterped taxi routing and instead taxied up to and held short.

Attributes
ACN	495860
Time
Date	200012
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mco.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : mco.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 280 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	495860
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 19200 flight time type : 17200
ASRS Report	495859
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On dec/xa/00 at XA15, pushed back off of gate from mco. Received push clearance (courtesy call). Called for taxi. Was given clearance (we thought) to taxiway F1, taxiway J, taxiway G.' upon looking at our 20-9 page, we could not find taxiway F1. We saw an air carrier Y DC9 facing south on taxiway J. His nose was perpendicular to taxiway H1. We assumed that we were to follow air carrier Y to runway 17 on taxiway J. At that time, the air carrier Y aircraft began to move onto runway 17. I queried the controller as to our assigned routing. She was very busy and didn't get right back to us. By this time we observed no other aircraft in the vicinity. We proceeded east on taxiway H1, held short of runway 17. The ground controller asked if we had a question. Since we felt that we had complied with her original instructions, I replied 'no.' we received takeoff clearance and departed. Upon arrival in fll, we were told to call mco TRACON. We were informed that we had not taxied as instructed. The captain apologized and stated we were confused and erroneously assumed the wrong taxi routing. (The correct routing was taxiway J5, taxiway J, taxiway G, taxiway H, I believe.) the supervisor was very helpful and after consultation with the controller in question, decided that no action would be taken. We are very thankful for their help in realizing the golden rule 'when in doubt, ask!'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B732 CREW MISINTERPED TAXI ROUTING AND INSTEAD TAXIED UP TO AND HELD SHORT.

Narrative: ON DEC/XA/00 AT XA15, PUSHED BACK OFF OF GATE FROM MCO. RECEIVED PUSH CLRNC (COURTESY CALL). CALLED FOR TAXI. WAS GIVEN CLRNC (WE THOUGHT) TO TXWY F1, TXWY J, TXWY G.' UPON LOOKING AT OUR 20-9 PAGE, WE COULD NOT FIND TXWY F1. WE SAW AN ACR Y DC9 FACING S ON TXWY J. HIS NOSE WAS PERPENDICULAR TO TXWY H1. WE ASSUMED THAT WE WERE TO FOLLOW ACR Y TO RWY 17 ON TXWY J. AT THAT TIME, THE ACR Y ACFT BEGAN TO MOVE ONTO RWY 17. I QUERIED THE CTLR AS TO OUR ASSIGNED ROUTING. SHE WAS VERY BUSY AND DIDN'T GET RIGHT BACK TO US. BY THIS TIME WE OBSERVED NO OTHER ACFT IN THE VICINITY. WE PROCEEDED E ON TXWY H1, HELD SHORT OF RWY 17. THE GND CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD A QUESTION. SINCE WE FELT THAT WE HAD COMPLIED WITH HER ORIGINAL INSTRUCTIONS, I REPLIED 'NO.' WE RECEIVED TKOF CLRNC AND DEPARTED. UPON ARR IN FLL, WE WERE TOLD TO CALL MCO TRACON. WE WERE INFORMED THAT WE HAD NOT TAXIED AS INSTRUCTED. THE CAPT APOLOGIZED AND STATED WE WERE CONFUSED AND ERRONEOUSLY ASSUMED THE WRONG TAXI ROUTING. (THE CORRECT ROUTING WAS TXWY J5, TXWY J, TXWY G, TXWY H, I BELIEVE.) THE SUPVR WAS VERY HELPFUL AND AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE CTLR IN QUESTION, DECIDED THAT NO ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN. WE ARE VERY THANKFUL FOR THEIR HELP IN REALIZING THE GOLDEN RULE 'WHEN IN DOUBT, ASK!'.

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.