Unauthorized taxi for air carrier medium large transport at dtw.

Attributes
ACN	166283
Time
Date	199012
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	166283
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I think the time has come for controllers (some) to be a little more specific in their clrncs. Dtw ground cleared me off runway 3 center 'outer, gate.' well, although the airport was dead, (no traffic), I should have had him clarify the clearance. I taxied to the ramp to access the outer that way. He then said, calmly, 'straight ahead to the outer.' well, I was going to do just that when I realized he had another thought process involving this. Instead of my going to the ramp to pick up the outer, he wanted runway 27/9 to the outer. They need to be more specific to avoid problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNAUTH TAXI FOR ACR MLG AT DTW.

Narrative: I THINK THE TIME HAS COME FOR CTLRS (SOME) TO BE A LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC IN THEIR CLRNCS. DTW GND CLRED ME OFF RWY 3 CTR 'OUTER, GATE.' WELL, ALTHOUGH THE ARPT WAS DEAD, (NO TFC), I SHOULD HAVE HAD HIM CLARIFY THE CLRNC. I TAXIED TO THE RAMP TO ACCESS THE OUTER THAT WAY. HE THEN SAID, CALMLY, 'STRAIGHT AHEAD TO THE OUTER.' WELL, I WAS GOING TO DO JUST THAT WHEN I REALIZED HE HAD ANOTHER THOUGHT PROCESS INVOLVING THIS. INSTEAD OF MY GOING TO THE RAMP TO PICK UP THE OUTER, HE WANTED RWY 27/9 TO THE OUTER. THEY NEED TO BE MORE SPECIFIC TO AVOID PROBS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.