Air carrier medium large transport loss of control on slippery taxiway nearly had taxiway excursion.

Attributes
ACN	100928
Time
Date	198812
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	100928
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Ground control cleared us to taxi via the inner taxiway to T3 for a double back to T1 for a takeoff on 32L at T1. As we neared T1, ground cleared us to turn left directly onto T1. The aircraft was nearly stopped due to icy conditions when I initiated a left turn with nosewheel steering. Half way through the turn, the nose wheel began skidding. Brakes were applied, but aircraft continued slow skid toward edge of taxiway. I could not control aircraft either with steering or brakes, until nosewheel came onto 14/32 parallel taxiway. There was no indication that we encountered any taxi lights on taxiway edge, but it was very close. There had been no prior warning that txwys were that icy--though I suspected they might be. I know of nothing that would have prevented the skid. Had the nosewheel not tracked in the beginning, the turn could have been aborted. As it was, I was committed by the time the nose started skidding. Even though I estimate taxi speed at only about 3 mph, the aircraft would not stop sliding due to engine thrust. Suggest better sanding of txwys.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG LOSS OF CONTROL ON SLIPPERY TXWY NEARLY HAD TXWY EXCURSION.

Narrative: GND CTL CLRED US TO TAXI VIA THE INNER TXWY TO T3 FOR A DOUBLE BACK TO T1 FOR A TKOF ON 32L AT T1. AS WE NEARED T1, GND CLRED US TO TURN LEFT DIRECTLY ONTO T1. THE ACFT WAS NEARLY STOPPED DUE TO ICY CONDITIONS WHEN I INITIATED A LEFT TURN WITH NOSEWHEEL STEERING. HALF WAY THROUGH THE TURN, THE NOSE WHEEL BEGAN SKIDDING. BRAKES WERE APPLIED, BUT ACFT CONTINUED SLOW SKID TOWARD EDGE OF TXWY. I COULD NOT CONTROL ACFT EITHER WITH STEERING OR BRAKES, UNTIL NOSEWHEEL CAME ONTO 14/32 PARALLEL TXWY. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT WE ENCOUNTERED ANY TAXI LIGHTS ON TXWY EDGE, BUT IT WAS VERY CLOSE. THERE HAD BEEN NO PRIOR WARNING THAT TXWYS WERE THAT ICY--THOUGH I SUSPECTED THEY MIGHT BE. I KNOW OF NOTHING THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE SKID. HAD THE NOSEWHEEL NOT TRACKED IN THE BEGINNING, THE TURN COULD HAVE BEEN ABORTED. AS IT WAS, I WAS COMMITTED BY THE TIME THE NOSE STARTED SKIDDING. EVEN THOUGH I ESTIMATE TAXI SPD AT ONLY ABOUT 3 MPH, THE ACFT WOULD NOT STOP SLIDING DUE TO ENG THRUST. SUGGEST BETTER SANDING OF TXWYS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.