Small aircraft crossed an active runway without ATC authorization.

Attributes
ACN	216773
Time
Date	199206
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 37 flight time total : 525 flight time type : 146
ASRS Report	216773
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Taxi instructions: CAT cross 21L, west to P. I taxied from the south tee hangars on taxiway CAT, across runway 21L, onto taxiway west. Then at taxiway arc and west, I couldn't find taxiway P. At this point, I asked for progressive following and I was told that I had passed it and to go to taxiway V. At this point, I was confused as to where I was on the taxiway. I made a left turn thinking I was still on taxiway west and I was looking for taxiway V. I think detroit metropolitan ground knew I was confused and should have been more helpful in giving me directions. Shortly after receiving the last taxi instructions, I was advised that I had crossed the active runway, and directed to make a 180 and hold. Ground asked me if I could accept an intersection takeoff to which I replied yes. Then I was told to contact the tower supervisor after landing at my destination. I called upon arrival at springfield, oh, and I was told that they were forwarding this incident to the flight standards office. At the time of this incident, there was no incoming or outgoing traffic on 21C. The depiction of taxiways on the plates shows a route from taxiway west to P via taxiway arc. This is not shown on the nos plates I use, nor was it included in the controller's taxi instructions. A copy of the plates are enclosed. I feel: 1) I was given bad taxi instructions by metropolitan ground. 2) airport taxiway signs are confusing at detroit metropolitan. 3) I was not given proper progressive following by detroit metropolitan ground.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA CROSSED AN ACTIVE RWY WITHOUT ATC AUTHORIZATION.

Narrative: TAXI INSTRUCTIONS: CAT CROSS 21L, W TO P. I TAXIED FROM THE S TEE HANGARS ON TAXIWAY CAT, ACROSS RWY 21L, ONTO TAXIWAY W. THEN AT TAXIWAY ARC AND W, I COULDN'T FIND TAXIWAY P. AT THIS POINT, I ASKED FOR PROGRESSIVE FOLLOWING AND I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD PASSED IT AND TO GO TO TAXIWAY V. AT THIS POINT, I WAS CONFUSED AS TO WHERE I WAS ON THE TAXIWAY. I MADE A L TURN THINKING I WAS STILL ON TAXIWAY W AND I WAS LOOKING FOR TAXIWAY V. I THINK DETROIT METRO GND KNEW I WAS CONFUSED AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE HELPFUL IN GIVING ME DIRECTIONS. SHORTLY AFTER RECEIVING THE LAST TAXI INSTRUCTIONS, I WAS ADVISED THAT I HAD CROSSED THE ACTIVE RWY, AND DIRECTED TO MAKE A 180 AND HOLD. GND ASKED ME IF I COULD ACCEPT AN INTXN TKOF TO WHICH I REPLIED YES. THEN I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT THE TWR SUPVR AFTER LNDG AT MY DEST. I CALLED UPON ARR AT SPRINGFIELD, OH, AND I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE FORWARDING THIS INCIDENT TO THE FLT STANDARDS OFFICE. AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT, THERE WAS NO INCOMING OR OUTGOING TFC ON 21C. THE DEPICTION OF TAXIWAYS ON THE PLATES SHOWS A RTE FROM TAXIWAY W TO P VIA TAXIWAY ARC. THIS IS NOT SHOWN ON THE NOS PLATES I USE, NOR WAS IT INCLUDED IN THE CTLR'S TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. A COPY OF THE PLATES ARE ENCLOSED. I FEEL: 1) I WAS GIVEN BAD TAXI INSTRUCTIONS BY METRO GND. 2) ARPT TAXIWAY SIGNS ARE CONFUSING AT DETROIT METRO. 3) I WAS NOT GIVEN PROPER PROGRESSIVE FOLLOWING BY DETROIT METRO GND.

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.