Narrative:

While taxiing at ewr, the instruction I received required me to taxi by txwys B, D, hold short of taxiway papa bravo by taxiway V for runway 4L. While holding short of taxiway pb, by taxiway victor for runway 4L. While holding short of pap bravo. ATC informed me they wanted me to hold short of taxiway pb on taxiway V. Then I was instructed to go to taxiway PA, taxi on it and to hold short of taxiway pd. From my position, there were no taxi lines -- all of the taxi signs were grouped together and made our wish to comply with ATC instruction next to impossible because they were jammed so close to each other. To comply, I had to stop the aircraft, figure out where there should be taxi lines, see if the taxiway signs agreed to our instructions, and then taxi using a map that is 4-5 inches wide by 8 inches long, then radio ATC to see if this procedure was what they had in mind. Crew did not understand what was wanted by ATC.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-800 CREW, WHILE TAXIING FOR TKOF AT EWR, MISINTERPED THEIR CLRNC, HOLDING SHORT ON THE WRONG TXWY. THIS SPAWNED A QUERY FROM ATC.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING AT EWR, THE INSTRUCTION I RECEIVED REQUIRED ME TO TAXI BY TXWYS B, D, HOLD SHORT OF TXWY PAPA BRAVO BY TXWY V FOR RWY 4L. WHILE HOLDING SHORT OF TXWY PB, BY TXWY VICTOR FOR RWY 4L. WHILE HOLDING SHORT OF PAP BRAVO. ATC INFORMED ME THEY WANTED ME TO HOLD SHORT OF TXWY PB ON TXWY V. THEN I WAS INSTRUCTED TO GO TO TXWY PA, TAXI ON IT AND TO HOLD SHORT OF TXWY PD. FROM MY POS, THERE WERE NO TAXI LINES -- ALL OF THE TAXI SIGNS WERE GROUPED TOGETHER AND MADE OUR WISH TO COMPLY WITH ATC INSTRUCTION NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE THEY WERE JAMMED SO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. TO COMPLY, I HAD TO STOP THE ACFT, FIGURE OUT WHERE THERE SHOULD BE TAXI LINES, SEE IF THE TXWY SIGNS AGREED TO OUR INSTRUCTIONS, AND THEN TAXI USING A MAP THAT IS 4-5 INCHES WIDE BY 8 INCHES LONG, THEN RADIO ATC TO SEE IF THIS PROC WAS WHAT THEY HAD IN MIND. CREW DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS WANTED BY ATC.

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.