Narrative:

We were taxiing after an uneventful landing at hartsfield international. I was in the captain's seat on an IOE trip with a check airman occupying the right seat. We also had an FAA observer on the jump seat watching what was to be my line check as captain. We landed on runway 8L and were told to exit at taxiway B10, then take taxiway B11, cross runway 8R and join up on taxiway east then taxiway F and to the ramp. I must not have heard the instructions as well as I should have, because I exited the runway on taxiway B11, then joined taxiway B10. After that, however, I couldn't see taxiway E11 and I assumed that the controller wanted us to turn down runway 8R and exit the runway at taxiway D, then join taxiway F and proceed to the ramp. I assumed this because I knew the aircraft on runway 8R was being held in position for our crossing and I saw no taxiway E11. In my defense, the FAA observer said he didn't see the taxiway either. After we got to the ramp, we were told to call the tower. The tower controller informed us that 'it was taken care of, not to worry' and that they were aware of the problem. Apparently, there is a problem in atl with others not seeing the taxiway (E11). I'm not sure what would rectify this problem, but it seems that something needs to be done. If 2 seasoned pilots (myself and a check airman) and 1 FAA inspector have a problem seeing the aforementioned taxiway, then there is obviously something wrong. I should have stopped my aircraft before even taxiing across the runway and confirmed the instructions. Even though I had the taxi chart out for the airport, I didn't take time enough to refer to it as I should. This, along with better signage could have alleviated the problem.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 LNDG ATL FAILS TO FOLLOW ATC ASSIGNED TAXI RTE.

Narrative: WE WERE TAXIING AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT HARTSFIELD INTL. I WAS IN THE CAPT'S SEAT ON AN IOE TRIP WITH A CHK AIRMAN OCCUPYING THE R SEAT. WE ALSO HAD AN FAA OBSERVER ON THE JUMP SEAT WATCHING WHAT WAS TO BE MY LINE CHK AS CAPT. WE LANDED ON RWY 8L AND WERE TOLD TO EXIT AT TXWY B10, THEN TAKE TXWY B11, CROSS RWY 8R AND JOIN UP ON TXWY E THEN TXWY F AND TO THE RAMP. I MUST NOT HAVE HEARD THE INSTRUCTIONS AS WELL AS I SHOULD HAVE, BECAUSE I EXITED THE RWY ON TXWY B11, THEN JOINED TXWY B10. AFTER THAT, HOWEVER, I COULDN'T SEE TXWY E11 AND I ASSUMED THAT THE CTLR WANTED US TO TURN DOWN RWY 8R AND EXIT THE RWY AT TXWY D, THEN JOIN TXWY F AND PROCEED TO THE RAMP. I ASSUMED THIS BECAUSE I KNEW THE ACFT ON RWY 8R WAS BEING HELD IN POS FOR OUR XING AND I SAW NO TXWY E11. IN MY DEFENSE, THE FAA OBSERVER SAID HE DIDN'T SEE THE TXWY EITHER. AFTER WE GOT TO THE RAMP, WE WERE TOLD TO CALL THE TWR. THE TWR CTLR INFORMED US THAT 'IT WAS TAKEN CARE OF, NOT TO WORRY' AND THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROB. APPARENTLY, THERE IS A PROB IN ATL WITH OTHERS NOT SEEING THE TXWY (E11). I'M NOT SURE WHAT WOULD RECTIFY THIS PROB, BUT IT SEEMS THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. IF 2 SEASONED PLTS (MYSELF AND A CHK AIRMAN) AND 1 FAA INSPECTOR HAVE A PROB SEEING THE AFOREMENTIONED TXWY, THEN THERE IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WRONG. I SHOULD HAVE STOPPED MY ACFT BEFORE EVEN TAXIING ACROSS THE RWY AND CONFIRMED THE INSTRUCTIONS. EVEN THOUGH I HAD THE TAXI CHART OUT FOR THE ARPT, I DIDN'T TAKE TIME ENOUGH TO REFER TO IT AS I SHOULD. THIS, ALONG WITH BETTER SIGNAGE COULD HAVE ALLEVIATED THE PROB.

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.