Narrative:

I knew I would have to wait for WX to improve for takeoff after freight was loaded, but I determined WX was acceptable for taxi with caution. At dtw fog usually begins and is more dense on the east side of airport where I was parked. AC20Z taxi clrncs: 1) taxi taxiway S4, taxiway south, taxiway F, hold short runway 3R at taxiway F. 2) cross runway 3R, cross runway 3C, after crossing runway 3C, contact west ground 121.8. 3) continue on taxiway F, left on taxiway U, expect clearance on taxiway U. 4) turn right on taxiway Y, left on taxiway V, hold short runway 3L at taxiway V. As I began my taxi in the dark and fog, I used only taxi lights, then I added landing lights to be able to read the signs and see the taxi lights. I expected the visibility to improve, but it became worse as I taxied. I could see +/-20 ft forward as I crossed runway 3C. On taxiway U, the visibility was perhaps 10-15 ft forward. The frequency was busy. Only 1 or 2 taxi lights were visible. The problem began after I turned on taxiway V from taxiway Y. Then I was not able to see the taxi line. I knew I had to turn right from the runway 9L/27R hold line to get back on taxiway V. I began a very slow right turn and then I could see nothing. I stopped. As the fog moved I saw white lights out my left side -- runway edge lights, so I quickly realized I was on runway 3L and turned 180 degrees to right. The controller called me to say I was on runway 3L. I responded 'I see that now, I'm turning off.' as the fog moved, I finally found the hold line and repositioned myself to hold short runway 3L at taxiway V in the proper holding position. After a few mins I saw aircraft lights approaching from the left, right toward me. I announced, aircraft on taxiway Y coming right at me, I'm holding short runway 3L at taxiway V. As the fog moved I could see the nose of the aircraft about 20 ft from my left wingtip. I have no doubt the aircraft would have hit me broadside had I not spoken. 1 min later, a large aircraft was very slowly taxiing on the runway trying to find the turnoff. I was cleared to cross runway 3L and taxi to FBO via taxiway Z. I loaded my freight, then called FSS for a WX update. The FSS briefer said dtw still had a ground stop in effect. Approximately ZE00Z the first aircraft departed dtw. I was #27 for takeoff on the center runway. At AF32Z I departed dtw.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C208 PART 135 CARRIER TAXIES IN THE FOG ONTO RWY 3L AT TXWY V INTXN AFTER BEING TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 3L. AFTER CLRING THE RWY AND HOLDING AT TXWY V, HE IS ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER ACR ACFT WHO COULD NOT SEE HIS ACFT.

Narrative: I KNEW I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT FOR WX TO IMPROVE FOR TKOF AFTER FREIGHT WAS LOADED, BUT I DETERMINED WX WAS ACCEPTABLE FOR TAXI WITH CAUTION. AT DTW FOG USUALLY BEGINS AND IS MORE DENSE ON THE E SIDE OF ARPT WHERE I WAS PARKED. AC20Z TAXI CLRNCS: 1) TAXI TXWY S4, TXWY S, TXWY F, HOLD SHORT RWY 3R AT TXWY F. 2) CROSS RWY 3R, CROSS RWY 3C, AFTER XING RWY 3C, CONTACT W GND 121.8. 3) CONTINUE ON TXWY F, L ON TXWY U, EXPECT CLRNC ON TXWY U. 4) TURN R ON TXWY Y, L ON TXWY V, HOLD SHORT RWY 3L AT TXWY V. AS I BEGAN MY TAXI IN THE DARK AND FOG, I USED ONLY TAXI LIGHTS, THEN I ADDED LNDG LIGHTS TO BE ABLE TO READ THE SIGNS AND SEE THE TAXI LIGHTS. I EXPECTED THE VISIBILITY TO IMPROVE, BUT IT BECAME WORSE AS I TAXIED. I COULD SEE +/-20 FT FORWARD AS I CROSSED RWY 3C. ON TXWY U, THE VISIBILITY WAS PERHAPS 10-15 FT FORWARD. THE FREQ WAS BUSY. ONLY 1 OR 2 TAXI LIGHTS WERE VISIBLE. THE PROB BEGAN AFTER I TURNED ON TXWY V FROM TXWY Y. THEN I WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE THE TAXI LINE. I KNEW I HAD TO TURN R FROM THE RWY 9L/27R HOLD LINE TO GET BACK ON TXWY V. I BEGAN A VERY SLOW R TURN AND THEN I COULD SEE NOTHING. I STOPPED. AS THE FOG MOVED I SAW WHITE LIGHTS OUT MY L SIDE -- RWY EDGE LIGHTS, SO I QUICKLY REALIZED I WAS ON RWY 3L AND TURNED 180 DEGS TO R. THE CTLR CALLED ME TO SAY I WAS ON RWY 3L. I RESPONDED 'I SEE THAT NOW, I'M TURNING OFF.' AS THE FOG MOVED, I FINALLY FOUND THE HOLD LINE AND REPOSITIONED MYSELF TO HOLD SHORT RWY 3L AT TXWY V IN THE PROPER HOLDING POS. AFTER A FEW MINS I SAW ACFT LIGHTS APCHING FROM THE L, RIGHT TOWARD ME. I ANNOUNCED, ACFT ON TXWY Y COMING RIGHT AT ME, I'M HOLDING SHORT RWY 3L AT TXWY V. AS THE FOG MOVED I COULD SEE THE NOSE OF THE ACFT ABOUT 20 FT FROM MY L WINGTIP. I HAVE NO DOUBT THE ACFT WOULD HAVE HIT ME BROADSIDE HAD I NOT SPOKEN. 1 MIN LATER, A LARGE ACFT WAS VERY SLOWLY TAXIING ON THE RWY TRYING TO FIND THE TURNOFF. I WAS CLRED TO CROSS RWY 3L AND TAXI TO FBO VIA TXWY Z. I LOADED MY FREIGHT, THEN CALLED FSS FOR A WX UPDATE. THE FSS BRIEFER SAID DTW STILL HAD A GND STOP IN EFFECT. APPROX ZE00Z THE FIRST ACFT DEPARTED DTW. I WAS #27 FOR TKOF ON THE CTR RWY. AT AF32Z I DEPARTED DTW.

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.