Narrative:

I conducted an arrival briefing well prior to TOD for a visual approach to runway 36L including the taxi route to our gate from runway 36L exiting the runway at taxiway J to the gate via J and J3. On initial contact with orlando approach control; we were told to expect vectors for a visual approach to runway 36R. I re-briefed a visual approach to runway 36R backed up with an ILS approach. I briefed taxi routing as roll to J if able and then as previously briefed to gate. After landing; due to traffic on short final; ATC requested that we clear the runway at the reverse (B-5) and we complied as requested. Our taxi clearance was then to our gate via C; J; and J3 to the gate. I inadvertently turned right onto taxiway C1 instead of taxiway J as cleared. We both realized that we were headed incorrectly and advised ATC. We requested and received permission to join taxiway J via J2 and proceed to the gate. ATC did not realize that we had taken a wrong turn until we advised them. There was not a conflict with any other aircraft. I couldn't believe that we had missed the turn onto taxiway juliet! We both had our airport diagrams in front of us and the plan had been well briefed. I do admit to a little confusion over the signage at the intersection of C and C1. Approaching taxiway C1; there is a location sign for taxiway C along with signage noting that you are approaching taxiway J. The signage noting the approach of taxiway J is lined up perfectly with taxiway C1 due to the proximity of J and C1. I take full responsibility for missing the turn but I feel that the confusing signage was a contributing factor. Another factor is that I have not operated from the west side of this airport for over a year. I thought that this threat had been mitigated by a thorough briefing but this was not the case. We were not rushing or late and still arrived at the gate 5 minutes early even with our 'detour.' this was a good wake up call for me to be more careful complying with ATC assigned taxi clearances and to use all assets at my disposal to resolve any uncertainty. Had some confusion over the signage and did not use all of my assets (first officer and ATC) to clear it up. Better crew interaction initiated by the captain probably would have helped. ATC could have been the tiebreaker if we still had any doubt. I don't know how common this mistake is but I do believe that better signage could mitigate the threat. Taxiway markings (painted on the taxiway) similar to those used at phx on the north side to designate taxiways south and T could help immensely. I believe that 'expectancy' was another factor. I fully expected to clear the runway at taxiway J and then taxi to the gate as briefed. When we cleared at B5 instead; I had a little trouble adapting to the new plan. Otherwise; I would have considered the proximity of C1 and J. I think that it is important to brief an expected taxi route but remember that it is just that and subject to change due to ATC requirements.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that a similar situation exists on taxiway east and the signage is not confusing. In the case of C1 and J if arrows were included on the taxiway sign with a single right arrow for C1 and a double arrow right and left for J.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIR CARRIER PILOT CLEARED TO TAXI ON MCO C AND J TAXIWAYS TURNED RIGHT ON TAXIWAY C1 BECAUSE OF A C TAXIWAY SIGN ABEAM C1 INDICATING TAXIWAY J WAS APPROACHING.

Narrative: I CONDUCTED AN ARRIVAL BRIEFING WELL PRIOR TO TOD FOR A VISUAL APPROACH TO RWY 36L INCLUDING THE TAXI ROUTE TO OUR GATE FROM RWY 36L EXITING THE RUNWAY AT TAXIWAY J TO THE GATE VIA J AND J3. ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH ORLANDO APPROACH CONTROL; WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT VECTORS FOR A VISUAL APPROACH TO RWY 36R. I RE-BRIEFED A VISUAL APPROACH TO RWY 36R BACKED UP WITH AN ILS APPROACH. I BRIEFED TAXI ROUTING AS ROLL TO J IF ABLE AND THEN AS PREVIOUSLY BRIEFED TO GATE. AFTER LANDING; DUE TO TRAFFIC ON SHORT FINAL; ATC REQUESTED THAT WE CLEAR THE RUNWAY AT THE REVERSE (B-5) AND WE COMPLIED AS REQUESTED. OUR TAXI CLEARANCE WAS THEN TO OUR GATE VIA C; J; AND J3 TO THE GATE. I INADVERTENTLY TURNED RIGHT ONTO TAXIWAY C1 INSTEAD OF TAXIWAY J AS CLEARED. WE BOTH REALIZED THAT WE WERE HEADED INCORRECTLY AND ADVISED ATC. WE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED PERMISSION TO JOIN TAXIWAY J VIA J2 AND PROCEED TO THE GATE. ATC DID NOT REALIZE THAT WE HAD TAKEN A WRONG TURN UNTIL WE ADVISED THEM. THERE WAS NOT A CONFLICT WITH ANY OTHER AIRCRAFT. I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT WE HAD MISSED THE TURN ONTO TAXIWAY JULIET! WE BOTH HAD OUR AIRPORT DIAGRAMS IN FRONT OF US AND THE PLAN HAD BEEN WELL BRIEFED. I DO ADMIT TO A LITTLE CONFUSION OVER THE SIGNAGE AT THE INTERSECTION OF C AND C1. APPROACHING TAXIWAY C1; THERE IS A LOCATION SIGN FOR TAXIWAY C ALONG WITH SIGNAGE NOTING THAT YOU ARE APPROACHING TAXIWAY J. THE SIGNAGE NOTING THE APPROACH OF TAXIWAY J IS LINED UP PERFECTLY WITH TAXIWAY C1 DUE TO THE PROXIMITY OF J AND C1. I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR MISSING THE TURN BUT I FEEL THAT THE CONFUSING SIGNAGE WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. ANOTHER FACTOR IS THAT I HAVE NOT OPERATED FROM THE WEST SIDE OF THIS AIRPORT FOR OVER A YEAR. I THOUGHT THAT THIS THREAT HAD BEEN MITIGATED BY A THOROUGH BRIEFING BUT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. WE WERE NOT RUSHING OR LATE AND STILL ARRIVED AT THE GATE 5 MINUTES EARLY EVEN WITH OUR 'DETOUR.' THIS WAS A GOOD WAKE UP CALL FOR ME TO BE MORE CAREFUL COMPLYING WITH ATC ASSIGNED TAXI CLEARANCES AND TO USE ALL ASSETS AT MY DISPOSAL TO RESOLVE ANY UNCERTAINTY. HAD SOME CONFUSION OVER THE SIGNAGE AND DID NOT USE ALL OF MY ASSETS (FO AND ATC) TO CLEAR IT UP. BETTER CREW INTERACTION INITIATED BY THE CAPTAIN PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HELPED. ATC COULD HAVE BEEN THE TIEBREAKER IF WE STILL HAD ANY DOUBT. I DON'T KNOW HOW COMMON THIS MISTAKE IS BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT BETTER SIGNAGE COULD MITIGATE THE THREAT. TAXIWAY MARKINGS (PAINTED ON THE TAXIWAY) SIMILAR TO THOSE USED AT PHX ON THE NORTH SIDE TO DESIGNATE TAXIWAYS S AND T COULD HELP IMMENSELY. I BELIEVE THAT 'EXPECTANCY' WAS ANOTHER FACTOR. I FULLY EXPECTED TO CLEAR THE RUNWAY AT TAXIWAY J AND THEN TAXI TO THE GATE AS BRIEFED. WHEN WE CLEARED AT B5 INSTEAD; I HAD A LITTLE TROUBLE ADAPTING TO THE NEW PLAN. OTHERWISE; I WOULD HAVE CONSIDERED THE PROXIMITY OF C1 AND J. I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO BRIEF AN EXPECTED TAXI ROUTE BUT REMEMBER THAT IT IS JUST THAT AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO ATC REQUIREMENTS.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER STATED THAT A SIMILAR SITUATION EXISTS ON TAXIWAY E AND THE SIGNAGE IS NOT CONFUSING. IN THE CASE OF C1 AND J IF ARROWS WERE INCLUDED ON THE TAXIWAY SIGN WITH A SINGLE RIGHT ARROW FOR C1 AND A DOUBLE ARROW RIGHT AND LEFT FOR J.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.