Narrative:

While on approach to runway 27R at phl, tower requested that we slow as much as possible and s-turn to provide spacing on an aircraft on final to runway 35. We complied, and with the first officer flying, landed normally. I knew there was another aircraft close behind us, so I instructed the first officer to make the high speed turnoff at taxiway K4. Prior to telling him that, I observed a number of aircraft lined up on taxiway K, but it appeared that there was space cleared for our exit from the runway. As we turned off, I observed an aircraft on taxiway K into the intersection of txwys K and K4. I stopped short of taxiway K with the tail over the hold short line. Tower asked if we were clear of the runway and my first officer immediately answered 'affirmative.' because of continuous talk on the frequency I could not advise tower that we were not clear in that position, a B737 rolled out behind us on the runway. Shortly thereafter we taxied clear. Because the aircraft landing behind us was a B737, there was no problem. If it had been a widebody transport there might have been! The main cause of the problem, lack of proper separation in traffic pattern. This also caused communication frequency congestion that prevented me from communicating with tower in a timely manner. Contributing factor: very bright low sun that prevented me from making a good decision on runway exit point. Also, it would have helped if tower could have advised us of the inadvisability of using taxiway K4.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CAPT EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING ACFT CLRNC OFF RWY AS LNDG ACFT PASSED BEHIND AT PHL.

Narrative: WHILE ON APCH TO RWY 27R AT PHL, TWR REQUESTED THAT WE SLOW AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND S-TURN TO PROVIDE SPACING ON AN ACFT ON FINAL TO RWY 35. WE COMPLIED, AND WITH THE FO FLYING, LANDED NORMALLY. I KNEW THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT CLOSE BEHIND US, SO I INSTRUCTED THE FO TO MAKE THE HIGH SPD TURNOFF AT TXWY K4. PRIOR TO TELLING HIM THAT, I OBSERVED A NUMBER OF ACFT LINED UP ON TXWY K, BUT IT APPEARED THAT THERE WAS SPACE CLRED FOR OUR EXIT FROM THE RWY. AS WE TURNED OFF, I OBSERVED AN ACFT ON TXWY K INTO THE INTXN OF TXWYS K AND K4. I STOPPED SHORT OF TXWY K WITH THE TAIL OVER THE HOLD SHORT LINE. TWR ASKED IF WE WERE CLR OF THE RWY AND MY FO IMMEDIATELY ANSWERED 'AFFIRMATIVE.' BECAUSE OF CONTINUOUS TALK ON THE FREQ I COULD NOT ADVISE TWR THAT WE WERE NOT CLR IN THAT POS, A B737 ROLLED OUT BEHIND US ON THE RWY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE TAXIED CLR. BECAUSE THE ACFT LNDG BEHIND US WAS A B737, THERE WAS NO PROB. IF IT HAD BEEN A WDB THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN! THE MAIN CAUSE OF THE PROB, LACK OF PROPER SEPARATION IN TFC PATTERN. THIS ALSO CAUSED COM FREQ CONGESTION THAT PREVENTED ME FROM COMMUNICATING WITH TWR IN A TIMELY MANNER. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR: VERY BRIGHT LOW SUN THAT PREVENTED ME FROM MAKING A GOOD DECISION ON RWY EXIT POINT. ALSO, IT WOULD HAVE HELPED IF TWR COULD HAVE ADVISED US OF THE INADVISABILITY OF USING TXWY K4.

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.