Date: 202102
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: JFK.Airport, NY
Flight conditions: VMC
Weather elements / visibility: 5
Light: Night
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Cargo / Freight / Delivery
Flight phase: Taxi
ATC / advisory: Tower JFK
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Time Pressure; Situational Awareness
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Ground Incursion Taxiway
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: Taxi
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Contributing factors: Airport; Chart Or Publication; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Weather
Primary problem: Airport

Narrative: During our approach briefing we planned to exit the runway at Taxiway V near the far end of the runway to facilitate our taxi to parking. After landing on Runway 31R I followed the green leadoff lights to exit the runway at what I thought was Taxiway V and was already committed to continue onto the taxiway when Tower told us to exit at Taxiway V join [Taxiways] B and S to the ramp. The First Officer noticed that we had exited at Taxiway WW and asked the Tower if okay to exit there. The Tower then advised us that [Taxiway] WW was closed but no problem. We noticed that a couple of low and narrow snow berms across the taxiway that were left over from snowplows and we continued forward without any problem. I also noticed at the time that there were other aircraft tire tracks through the snow and did not appear to affect our progress. The taxi to parking was uneventful. During the landing rollout I tried to locate our position on the moving map airport diagram which I pre-positioned as much as possible at Taxiway V area; but could not ascertain exactly our current position. I saw the green leadoff lights; and thinking that we were at [Taxiway] V continued to follow them onto the taxiway. There was also another aircraft on short final behind us and it was my intention to exit the runway expeditiously so as not to complicate its arrival. I did not see a taxiway sign prior to the taxiway and determined that we must be exiting at [Taxiway] V. The Tower Controller did not seem to be phased by our encroachment onto a closed taxiway. We were already committed to Taxiway WW and there was no way to stop the aircraft and safely make a 180-degree turn to get back on the runway to exit at Taxiway V. There were not any cones or barricades with caution lights across Taxiway WW; and as it was not a construction area I felt that we could safely exit on [Taxiway] WW. To complicate matters; taxiway signage in that area is not sufficient as I did not see a WW sign prior to the taxiway - only the sign on the right side of the taxiway after entering [Taxiway] WW. Also of concern is that the green leadoff lights were illuminated allowing aircraft to taxi off the runway onto a closed taxiway. The lights should have been extinguished. I did not see any green leadoff lights at Taxiway V.




Synopsis: Air Carrier Captain reported after landing at JFK they turned onto a closed taxiway and cited signage issues as a contributing factor.