Narrative:

I turned down the wrong taxiway; requiring a tug to push us back. This was to the fact that there was an opposite direction air carrier flight on the same taxiway. How did this happen? Let me try to explain. It was my first time into or out of this airport. I am new to the MD11 and efb. My first officer's efb was inop so he could not send me charts; and I have a routine of checking which way to turn onto runway that I have always used in my 12 years as a captain. (It does not work under these circumstances.) I always look at my ground chart prior to turning onto the active runway; while taxiing I have gotten into the habit of asking my first officer to send me charts. In this case; I pulled up my own SID chart once cleared into position while taxiing west on RA. I should have turned left on rb at the end of RA. My routine that has kept me safe is to review my ground chart; usually a paper chart on the window clip then my SID on my yoke. I look at the SID and see a right turn; repeat clearance right turn 140. My first officer was heads down running the below the line portion of the before takeoff checklist. I read right turn on SID when I am normally looking at my ground chart and simply turned right. My first officer looked up and advised me of my error. I stopped. It's too late as another air carrier flight enters the taxiway at the far north end of RA. We immediately call for a tug and get pushed back to RA.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An MD11 Captain turned onto the wrong taxiway; head-to-head with another air carrier; in part because of confusion with the EFB.

Narrative: I turned down the wrong taxiway; requiring a tug to push us back. This was to the fact that there was an opposite direction air carrier flight on the same taxiway. How did this happen? Let me try to explain. It was my first time into or out of this airport. I am new to the MD11 and EFB. My First Officer's EFB was inop so he could not send me charts; and I have a routine of checking which way to turn onto runway that I have always used in my 12 years as a Captain. (It does not work under these circumstances.) I always look at my ground chart prior to turning onto the active runway; while taxiing I have gotten into the habit of asking my First Officer to send me charts. In this case; I pulled up my own SID chart once cleared into position while taxiing west on RA. I should have turned left on RB at the end of RA. My routine that has kept me safe is to review my ground chart; usually a paper chart on the window clip then my SID on my yoke. I look at the SID and see a right turn; repeat clearance right turn 140. My First Officer was heads down running the below the line portion of the before takeoff checklist. I read right turn on SID when I am normally looking at my ground chart and simply turned right. My First Officer looked up and advised me of my error. I stopped. It's too late as another air carrier flight enters the taxiway at the far north end of RA. We immediately call for a tug and get pushed back to RA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.