Date: 201512
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: CLT.Airport, NC
Flight conditions: IMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Flight phase: Taxi
ATC / advisory: Tower CLT
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Not Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Situational Awareness; Workload
Second reporter function: Pilot Flying; Captain
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Other / Unknown
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Ambiguous

Narrative: The flight was operated normally for an ILS to 36R at CLT. The tower controller was moving planes into position for takeoff during the landing rollouts of arriving aircraft. During our flare to touchdown the tower controller contacted us and said 'I know you're busy; first available left turn'. I did reply to his instruction; but I am unsure as to whether it was before the 'Spoilers' and '2 Reverse' callouts. I commented to the Captain that we could probably make Runway 5/23. I began to monitor the airspeed for the next callouts. The tower then contacted us with new instructions to take either taxiway A or C9. By the time I was able to reply and look up to see our position on the runway; we were passing C9 with what I thought was very little chance of making A; which is an opposite direction high speed from the direction we were landing. The tower then directed us to exit onto Runway 5 and then taxiway C.Ramp tower directed us to contact the tower by telephone. Multiple instructions from ATC during the same critical phase of flight. An inability for the PM to both perform his cockpit duties during landing and interpret multiple sets of instructions from ATC. Once the PM has begun the callouts to the PF during landing; do not read back any new instructions from ATC until it can be established that the airplane has been safely landed and all limitations have been complied with.Also; during the Arrival briefing into an airport; the PF will list the expected exit from the runway and then subsequent taxi. If the original exit cannot or is not taken; the previous briefing is meaningless and can possibly create confusion. Instead of listing actual turnoffs with taxi routes; this part of the briefing could be simplified to something along the lines of 'First available left turn off of the runway' and then list any potential runway crossings and Hotspots that could be encountered during the taxi to the gate.


Second narrative: During landing on CLT 36R ATC called and asked for exit at first available left turn to exit the runway. I was focused on the landing and when I interpreted what he said we were coming up on C9 and R. To make C9 or R I would have had to slam on the brakes. He called again to say exit at A which is an opposite direction high speed exit. I felt that either one of these options were unsafe to do so at the speed that we were doing so we exited on runway 23/5. High workload and instructions in the flare. Didn't want to compromise safety. Called ATC on the phone and discussed what had happened. I would prefer ATC ask if we could take first available exit a little further out so we're not trying to land the plane and interpret instructions while we're task saturated.


Synopsis: Air Carrier flight crew reported receiving several instructions from the tower during flare and roll out to clear the runway quickly via different taxiways; which the crew was unable to comply with.