Narrative:

Approaching det VFR on a sunny afternoon I was told to follow VFR traffic ahead which I had in sight for runway 15 -- 'additional traffic left downwind. Right downwind, 1 mi final, departing,' etc. The tower controller was very busy, and, as I soon found out, handling both tower and ground frequencys. I did a short field landing and then exited at the next high speed. As I did so, I saw opposite direction taxi traffic about 200 meters down the taxiway and applied moderate braking (runway-taxiway spacing is fairly tight at det). At that time, I was told 'hold position' and braked heavily to avoid any taxiway incursion. Taxiing traffic thereafter passed right to left and we carried on to the ramp. Observations: in an attempt to assist the controller with the large number of operations he was handling -- I got 'hurry-up' minded (short field landing and quick turn off). I should have told the controller that I was unable to exit and continued to the next intersection where I could have made a more normal exit off the runway. This controller had too many responsibilities -- there should have been separate tower and ground controllers -- and runway exit instructions should have included 'hold short of taxiway alpha for opposite direction traffic,' 'contact ground,' or 'stay with me,' etc. The controller was doing a decent job -- he just did not have the time to give each aircraft the required attention. The instructors creating some of the congestion might have practiced at some nearby, lower usage airports. (I'm an active instructor). Everyone was 'cleared for immediate takeoff,' '360 downwind,' 'go around,' extend downwind,' s-turning final, etc.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR PLT CONCERNED OVER FAC STAFFING POLICY AT DET. APPEARED THAT ATC TWR LCL GND CTLR WORKING A COMBINED POS WAS OVERLOADED, SETTING UP THE POTENTIAL FOR AIR AND GND CONFLICTS.

Narrative: APCHING DET VFR ON A SUNNY AFTERNOON I WAS TOLD TO FOLLOW VFR TFC AHEAD WHICH I HAD IN SIGHT FOR RWY 15 -- 'ADDITIONAL TFC L DOWNWIND. R DOWNWIND, 1 MI FINAL, DEPARTING,' ETC. THE TWR CTLR WAS VERY BUSY, AND, AS I SOON FOUND OUT, HANDLING BOTH TWR AND GND FREQS. I DID A SHORT FIELD LNDG AND THEN EXITED AT THE NEXT HIGH SPD. AS I DID SO, I SAW OPPOSITE DIRECTION TAXI TFC ABOUT 200 METERS DOWN THE TAXIWAY AND APPLIED MODERATE BRAKING (RWY-TAXIWAY SPACING IS FAIRLY TIGHT AT DET). AT THAT TIME, I WAS TOLD 'HOLD POS' AND BRAKED HEAVILY TO AVOID ANY TAXIWAY INCURSION. TAXIING TFC THEREAFTER PASSED R TO L AND WE CARRIED ON TO THE RAMP. OBSERVATIONS: IN AN ATTEMPT TO ASSIST THE CTLR WITH THE LARGE NUMBER OF OPS HE WAS HANDLING -- I GOT 'HURRY-UP' MINDED (SHORT FIELD LNDG AND QUICK TURN OFF). I SHOULD HAVE TOLD THE CTLR THAT I WAS UNABLE TO EXIT AND CONTINUED TO THE NEXT INTXN WHERE I COULD HAVE MADE A MORE NORMAL EXIT OFF THE RWY. THIS CTLR HAD TOO MANY RESPONSIBILITIES -- THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SEPARATE TWR AND GND CTLRS -- AND RWY EXIT INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED 'HOLD SHORT OF TAXIWAY ALPHA FOR OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC,' 'CONTACT GND,' OR 'STAY WITH ME,' ETC. THE CTLR WAS DOING A DECENT JOB -- HE JUST DID NOT HAVE THE TIME TO GIVE EACH ACFT THE REQUIRED ATTN. THE INSTRUCTORS CREATING SOME OF THE CONGESTION MIGHT HAVE PRACTICED AT SOME NEARBY, LOWER USAGE ARPTS. (I'M AN ACTIVE INSTRUCTOR). EVERYONE WAS 'CLRED FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF,' '360 DOWNWIND,' 'GAR,' EXTEND DOWNWIND,' S-TURNING FINAL, ETC.

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.