Date: 201202
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: CLT.Airport, NC
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Taxi
ATC / advisory: Tower CLT
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness; Time Pressure; Workload
Second reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Not Flying
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Ground Incursion Taxiway
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: Taxi
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert
Contributing factors: Airport; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Ambiguous

Narrative: First Officer landed aircraft on Runway 23. I then took control of the aircraft and cleared the runway at Taxiway B. As were clearing; CLT Tower advised us to EXPEDITE as they were clearing aircraft from the other side of the runway to cross behind us. I complied by completing the 90 degree turn and taxiing forward on Taxiway B. Our assigned gate was straight ahead. We were running a few minutes late so this taxi route would get us to the gate quickly. After the Tower gave us their instructions; the First Officer switched radio frequency to Ramp Control as we were expeditiously nearing the ramp due to the short distance from the runway. Making another 90 degree turn onto Taxiway M was not in my thought process as this would have slowed our taxi speed and would have been going away from our assigned gate. At no time was there any conflict with other taxiing aircraft and our expeditious taxi allowed aircraft to taxi across Runway 23 before the next arrival. The Tower Controller should clear us to go to ramp frequency when clearing Runway 23 at Taxiway B as its location is quite close to the ramp. Furthermore; the turn to either Taxiway B or M should be left to the discretion of the Captain. If that is not acceptable; then local rules should provide for taxi up B as SOP. Or next time; I can just stop after clearing the runway until everything is sorted out.


Second narrative: At no time did I think any of these actions were out of the ordinary or contrary to any instruction we received. Only after the fact; did I get a call from the Chief Pilot's office indicating Ground Control was upset we had not contacted them prior to going over to Ramp Control. While turning off on Taxiway Bravo is somewhat infrequent; I have seen it enough to think we were in compliance with established procedure and thought we did exactly what we were directed to do. At no time was there any conflict with another aircraft coming up Taxiway Mike and I don't recall any conflict with anyone on the outer line under control of Ramp Control either. I did not see this incident being any different than turning off Runway 36R onto Mike and being directed to contact Ramp Control. Assuming we misunderstood Tower's instruction and I am not saying that was the case; the fact that making the turn off on Taxiway Bravo comes up pretty quickly after touchdown and thrust reverser deployment; it is possible we heard what we expected to hear and not what Tower actually said. The fact that neither of us thought we did anything other than comply with the stated instructions and were surprised by the call from the Chief Pilot's office; make me think this scenario unlikely.


Synopsis: After an air carrier crew landed on CLT Runway 23; they exited at Taxiway B then went directly to Ramp Control on B without talking to Ground Control who became upset enough that the Chief Pilot counseled the pilots for not receiving ATC's taxi directions.