An important taxiway sign has inoperative lights.

Attributes
ACN	232475
Time
Date	199301
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	232475
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Taxi out for departure. 'Standard taxi runway 21C.' we reported to ground control that taxi sign oscar-4 was not illuminated. Ground control responded 'thank you, it's been out for about a week, and we have received many complaints.' this is a critical taxi intersection at a very bad airport for ground/taxi operation. This airport has an embarrassing history of dangerous ground operations! Body count! This sign should be fixed immediately! Dtw ground operations are still very challenging, especially during low visibility or at night (unsafe!). Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: spoke to an ATCT tower controller. He said that many lighted signs are inoperative and many signs are missing. He thought the problem was caused by old wiring, lights and wiring have been added helter- skelter and the entire system seems to be overloaded and deteriorating from age. Wayne county is responsible for the airport and seems unable and/or unwilling to assign a high priority to this problem. The tower is beginning to ask that certain portions of the airport be closed when inadequate signs and/or lighting are available. They have no ground radar to help them control traffic. A master plan was completed sep-oct/92 to install the new design taxiway signs but no new signs yet. Also, an anti-runway incursion plan is under way. So far, only 3 of 13 new signs have been installed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN IMPORTANT TXWY SIGN HAS INOP LIGHTS.

Narrative: TAXI OUT FOR DEP. 'STANDARD TAXI RWY 21C.' WE RPTED TO GND CTL THAT TAXI SIGN OSCAR-4 WAS NOT ILLUMINATED. GND CTL RESPONDED 'THANK YOU, IT'S BEEN OUT FOR ABOUT A WK, AND WE HAVE RECEIVED MANY COMPLAINTS.' THIS IS A CRITICAL TAXI INTXN AT A VERY BAD ARPT FOR GND/TAXI OP. THIS ARPT HAS AN EMBARRASSING HISTORY OF DANGEROUS GND OPS! BODY COUNT! THIS SIGN SHOULD BE FIXED IMMEDIATELY! DTW GND OPS ARE STILL VERY CHALLENGING, ESPECIALLY DURING LOW VISIBILITY OR AT NIGHT (UNSAFE!). CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: SPOKE TO AN ATCT TWR CTLR. HE SAID THAT MANY LIGHTED SIGNS ARE INOP AND MANY SIGNS ARE MISSING. HE THOUGHT THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY OLD WIRING, LIGHTS AND WIRING HAVE BEEN ADDED HELTER- SKELTER AND THE ENTIRE SYS SEEMS TO BE OVERLOADED AND DETERIORATING FROM AGE. WAYNE COUNTY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ARPT AND SEEMS UNABLE AND/OR UNWILLING TO ASSIGN A HIGH PRIORITY TO THIS PROB. THE TWR IS BEGINNING TO ASK THAT CERTAIN PORTIONS OF THE ARPT BE CLOSED WHEN INADEQUATE SIGNS AND/OR LIGHTING ARE AVAILABLE. THEY HAVE NO GND RADAR TO HELP THEM CTL TFC. A MASTER PLAN WAS COMPLETED SEP-OCT/92 TO INSTALL THE NEW DESIGN TXWY SIGNS BUT NO NEW SIGNS YET. ALSO, AN ANTI-RWY INCURSION PLAN IS UNDER WAY. SO FAR, ONLY 3 OF 13 NEW SIGNS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED.

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.