Air carrier flight crew reported mistakenly starting to exit onto a closed taxiway during landing at DTW airport. ATC alerted crew and flight taxied to gate without incident.
Synopsis
Air carrier flight crew reported mistakenly starting to exit onto a closed taxiway during landing at DTW airport. ATC alerted crew and flight taxied to gate without incident.
Narrative
Coming into DTW; it was IFR; low visibility in snow/ blowing snow with gusty crosswinds. We were aware of the runway exit W3 being closed due to the conditions. Upon landing I was focusing on airplane control in the winds and also braking conditions; RCC (Runway Condition Code) of 3. As I slowed the aircraft I saw the W4 directional sign; and then taxi lights for an exit. As I started to take the exit; tower notified us it was actually W3; not W4; that it was closed. So I redirected the aircraft to continue on the runway to W4. Due to the slow movement at the time we were unable to exit the runway quickly enough; which caused tower to issue a go around to the aircraft behind us.Cause: Decreased visibility; along with field conditions; obscured markings lighting and signage; during a difficult landing event. As well as increased focus on aircraft control during the roll out.Suggestions: Heightened situational awareness; possibly briefing the FO to be focused on the signage and be my eyes to the sides of the runway while I was focused on the rollout; braking and winds.
Second reporter narrative
On landing 3/4sm with BLSN (Blowing Snow) and poor braking action. We seen the directional sign and the taxi lights and began a turn off for W3 thinking it was W4 because of the conditions and realized it as the controller said it was closed as we were correcting back to the centerline then made the turn off on W4 and taxied to the gates without incident other than because of the extra time on the runway the plane behind us had to go around.Cause: Weather conditions with the low visibility and BLSN.Suggestion: Try to maintain a better situational awareness in poor conditions.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.