Emb flight crew encounters taxiway signage anomaly and confusion due to multiple taxi clrncs at dtw.

Attributes
ACN	569636
Time
Date	200212
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	569636
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Situations
Chart	airport : dtw.airport

Narrative:

I have flown part 121 operations in and out of dtw on many occasions. On almost each visit we have had numerous difficulties getting to and from the gate. On the date listed, we were told to taxi 'U10 to circle 3' commercial chart 10-9 dated jun/xa/02, shows a disparity between what is painted on the ramp. The chart shows 4N, but the ramp shows 3N. All of this aside, the 4(!) ground control frequencys create an abundance of confusion and often result in controller/pilot confusion. The night prior, we were told to do 1 thing on 1 ground control frequency, only to be completely changed by each controller along the way. The frequent switching of ground frequencys takes the full attention of my first officer. This completely eliminates his assistance to me for navigating the complex maze of dtw. Callback conversation with airport manager revealed the following information: visual check of taxi lane U10 confirmed that the correct marking ('circle' 4N) is painted at the end of the taxi lane.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB FLC ENCOUNTERS TXWY SIGNAGE ANOMALY AND CONFUSION DUE TO MULTIPLE TAXI CLRNCS AT DTW.

Narrative: I HAVE FLOWN PART 121 OPS IN AND OUT OF DTW ON MANY OCCASIONS. ON ALMOST EACH VISIT WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS DIFFICULTIES GETTING TO AND FROM THE GATE. ON THE DATE LISTED, WE WERE TOLD TO TAXI 'U10 TO CIRCLE 3' COMMERCIAL CHART 10-9 DATED JUN/XA/02, SHOWS A DISPARITY BTWN WHAT IS PAINTED ON THE RAMP. THE CHART SHOWS 4N, BUT THE RAMP SHOWS 3N. ALL OF THIS ASIDE, THE 4(!) GND CTL FREQS CREATE AN ABUNDANCE OF CONFUSION AND OFTEN RESULT IN CTLR/PLT CONFUSION. THE NIGHT PRIOR, WE WERE TOLD TO DO 1 THING ON 1 GND CTL FREQ, ONLY TO BE COMPLETELY CHANGED BY EACH CTLR ALONG THE WAY. THE FREQUENT SWITCHING OF GND FREQS TAKES THE FULL ATTN OF MY FO. THIS COMPLETELY ELIMINATES HIS ASSISTANCE TO ME FOR NAVING THE COMPLEX MAZE OF DTW. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH ARPT MGR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: VISUAL CHK OF TAXI LANE U10 CONFIRMED THAT THE CORRECT MARKING ('CIRCLE' 4N) IS PAINTED AT THE END OF THE TAXI LANE.

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.