Narrative:

After landing at lga on runway 22, I contacted ground control and reported clear of runway 22 on taxiway east. Ground control responded 'join taxiway B, hold short of -- just join taxiway B.' I turned left onto taxiway B (an assumption on my part since I could have turned left or right, but all our gates were to the left). I proceeded on taxiway B and stopped short of taxiway G due to another airplane moving on taxiway G. Ground control asked what we were doing and I responded that I had joined taxiway B as requested. Ground said 'join B, hold short of taxiway F.' I acknowledged to hold short of taxiway F, but I realized that we were already past taxiway F, and ground was simply telling me what they expected when I first cleared runway 22. I radioed that we had never received hold short instructions after first exiting the runway. Ground control said to just stay where we were. Eventually we were cleared to our gate with no further incident. It is standard at lga to receive instructions from ground, after clearing runway 22, such as 'taxiway east, taxiway a.' the assumption being to proceed on taxiway east, then taxiway a all the way to the gate unless or until further instructions are issued. My decision to proceed on taxiway B, in this case, was based on previous experience. When the controller stopped the hold short instructions and simply said 'join taxiway B,' I should have asked how far (technically, I should also have queried whether to turn left or right). Controllers need to be specific with their instructions and pilots cannot assume that they know what implied instructions should have been stated.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DH8 CREW TAXIED PAST GND CTL'S INTENDED HOLD POINT.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG AT LGA ON RWY 22, I CONTACTED GND CTL AND RPTED CLR OF RWY 22 ON TXWY E. GND CTL RESPONDED 'JOIN TXWY B, HOLD SHORT OF -- JUST JOIN TXWY B.' I TURNED L ONTO TXWY B (AN ASSUMPTION ON MY PART SINCE I COULD HAVE TURNED L OR R, BUT ALL OUR GATES WERE TO THE L). I PROCEEDED ON TXWY B AND STOPPED SHORT OF TXWY G DUE TO ANOTHER AIRPLANE MOVING ON TXWY G. GND CTL ASKED WHAT WE WERE DOING AND I RESPONDED THAT I HAD JOINED TXWY B AS REQUESTED. GND SAID 'JOIN B, HOLD SHORT OF TXWY F.' I ACKNOWLEDGED TO HOLD SHORT OF TXWY F, BUT I REALIZED THAT WE WERE ALREADY PAST TXWY F, AND GND WAS SIMPLY TELLING ME WHAT THEY EXPECTED WHEN I FIRST CLRED RWY 22. I RADIOED THAT WE HAD NEVER RECEIVED HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTIONS AFTER FIRST EXITING THE RWY. GND CTL SAID TO JUST STAY WHERE WE WERE. EVENTUALLY WE WERE CLRED TO OUR GATE WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. IT IS STANDARD AT LGA TO RECEIVE INSTRUCTIONS FROM GND, AFTER CLRING RWY 22, SUCH AS 'TXWY E, TXWY A.' THE ASSUMPTION BEING TO PROCEED ON TXWY E, THEN TXWY A ALL THE WAY TO THE GATE UNLESS OR UNTIL FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS ARE ISSUED. MY DECISION TO PROCEED ON TXWY B, IN THIS CASE, WAS BASED ON PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE. WHEN THE CTLR STOPPED THE HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTIONS AND SIMPLY SAID 'JOIN TXWY B,' I SHOULD HAVE ASKED HOW FAR (TECHNICALLY, I SHOULD ALSO HAVE QUERIED WHETHER TO TURN L OR R). CTLRS NEED TO BE SPECIFIC WITH THEIR INSTRUCTIONS AND PLTS CANNOT ASSUME THAT THEY KNOW WHAT IMPLIED INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD HAVE BEEN STATED.

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.