Narrative:

On taxi out at dtw for takeoff, I was given the new 'standard taxi route' for runway 21 center that is a new agreement with the airline and the FAA for taxi clrncs. I missed my turn on the inner taxiway and was heading for runway 3C instead. (I assume that both the copilot and myself both misunderstood which runway was the active.) the controller told us to turn left on runway 27 to correct, which we did (9/27 runway was not active). I feel that this 'standard taxi clearance' is probably a good idea, however until the procedure has been used for awhile, as pilots, we are reading instructions in words -- not taxi diagrams, then translating this to a taxi diagram. All this goes on while we are changing frequencys at designated spots also included in the 'standard taxi route' explanation. As all this takes place, we are running our checklists for the airplane, and it is quite a busy time. Any procedure that requires more attention to reading instead of looking outside is detrimental to a safe operation. I don't think my missing my turn was any problem at all, but with the recent taxi accident at this airport, I feel any procedure that causes us to look inside instead of outside is a hazard.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR TAKES WRONG TAXIWAY AND IS HEADING FOR WRONG RWY AT DTW WHEN CTLR INTERVENES.

Narrative: ON TAXI OUT AT DTW FOR TKOF, I WAS GIVEN THE NEW 'STANDARD TAXI RTE' FOR RWY 21 CENTER THAT IS A NEW AGREEMENT WITH THE AIRLINE AND THE FAA FOR TAXI CLRNCS. I MISSED MY TURN ON THE INNER TAXIWAY AND WAS HDG FOR RWY 3C INSTEAD. (I ASSUME THAT BOTH THE COPLT AND MYSELF BOTH MISUNDERSTOOD WHICH RWY WAS THE ACTIVE.) THE CTLR TOLD US TO TURN L ON RWY 27 TO CORRECT, WHICH WE DID (9/27 RWY WAS NOT ACTIVE). I FEEL THAT THIS 'STANDARD TAXI CLRNC' IS PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA, HOWEVER UNTIL THE PROC HAS BEEN USED FOR AWHILE, AS PLTS, WE ARE READING INSTRUCTIONS IN WORDS -- NOT TAXI DIAGRAMS, THEN TRANSLATING THIS TO A TAXI DIAGRAM. ALL THIS GOES ON WHILE WE ARE CHANGING FREQS AT DESIGNATED SPOTS ALSO INCLUDED IN THE 'STANDARD TAXI RTE' EXPLANATION. AS ALL THIS TAKES PLACE, WE ARE RUNNING OUR CHKLISTS FOR THE AIRPLANE, AND IT IS QUITE A BUSY TIME. ANY PROC THAT REQUIRES MORE ATTN TO READING INSTEAD OF LOOKING OUTSIDE IS DETRIMENTAL TO A SAFE OP. I DON'T THINK MY MISSING MY TURN WAS ANY PROBLEM AT ALL, BUT WITH THE RECENT TAXI ACCIDENT AT THIS ARPT, I FEEL ANY PROC THAT CAUSES US TO LOOK INSIDE INSTEAD OF OUTSIDE IS A HAZARD.

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.