Narrative:

Last leg of 4. New first officer IOE line check. First officer landed runway 31R jfk. After taxiing clear of runway, I missed the instructions from tower. Apparently, we were to hold and stay with tower control. I asked the first officer if we were cleared (taxiway) to the gate. He answered in the affirmative. However, while first officer was on company frequency for gate assignment, I monitored ground control frequency. That is when the tower controller inquired if I understood the last instruction. I told the tower controller what I understood from my first officer. I was told then that we were to hold on tower frequency. After arriving at gate, shut down and appropriate checklists completed, I called the tower chief to apologize. He said no problem, but I felt it prudent to file this to help remind others the importance of verification when in doubt as to ATC instructions. Fortunately, there was no conflict.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW MISUNDERSTANDS CLRNC ISSUED BY TWR CTLR AND HAS A TXWY INCURSION AT JFK.

Narrative: LAST LEG OF 4. NEW FO IOE LINE CHK. FO LANDED RWY 31R JFK. AFTER TAXIING CLR OF RWY, I MISSED THE INSTRUCTIONS FROM TWR. APPARENTLY, WE WERE TO HOLD AND STAY WITH TWR CTL. I ASKED THE FO IF WE WERE CLRED (TXWY) TO THE GATE. HE ANSWERED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. HOWEVER, WHILE FO WAS ON COMPANY FREQ FOR GATE ASSIGNMENT, I MONITORED GND CTL FREQ. THAT IS WHEN THE TWR CTLR INQUIRED IF I UNDERSTOOD THE LAST INSTRUCTION. I TOLD THE TWR CTLR WHAT I UNDERSTOOD FROM MY FO. I WAS TOLD THEN THAT WE WERE TO HOLD ON TWR FREQ. AFTER ARRIVING AT GATE, SHUT DOWN AND APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS COMPLETED, I CALLED THE TWR CHIEF TO APOLOGIZE. HE SAID NO PROB, BUT I FELT IT PRUDENT TO FILE THIS TO HELP REMIND OTHERS THE IMPORTANCE OF VERIFICATION WHEN IN DOUBT AS TO ATC INSTRUCTIONS. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO CONFLICT.

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.