B747-400
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Workload; Time Pressure; Distraction; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Fatigue
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Speed All Types; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Procedure
On landing rollout after positive change of control of aircraft to the Captain was accomplished; he made a left turn toward a high speed taxiway at which time ATC again instructed us to roll to the end of runway and exit to the right. This event took place so fast my communication; and ATC's occurred at nearly the same time. Upon hearing me and the instructions again from ATC the Captain applied heavy braking and abruptly turned the aircraft back toward the runway barely missing the taxi lights grass and runway lights while the aircrafts speed for a turn like that was excessive; AKA above 20 KTS. We then rolled to the end of the runway and made the right turn off the runway cleared the runway taxied to parking stand without further incident. After discussing the event with fellow crew members all of us were very tired due to the long duty day that started with a 4 hour stop on the east coast and then the flight to Europe. I think events like this could be avoided if a crew ferried the aircraft to the loading point and a fresh crew took the aircraft from there.
There was no damage or call from Tower. The near 18 hour day with a 4 hour sit was the problem.
A fatigued B747 Captain was exiting at a high speed taxiway when ATC directed that they roll to the runway's end. The Captain abruptly returned to the Runway while braking heavily; narrowly missing runway and taxiway lights.