Narrative:

The following events are those that led up to an encounter with another aircraft while taxiing. 1) during the ILS approach to bwi, I encountered a light icing condition that left a small amount of ice on the windshield. Upon landing on runway 15R, the local controller gave me instructions to clear the runway, and gave me clearance to taxi to the ramp. He did not advise me to change to ground frequency. It was apparent that he was controller for both. 3) during the long taxi to the GA ramp, additional falling snow was adhering to the little ice already on my windshield. This made visibility out the front poor. 4) to increase my visibility, I then opened my side window and looked out of it to taxi. 5) upon reaching runway 15L, I noticed the runway was snow covered and very slick. 6) I then proceeded to taxi down the runway. I stayed on the left side, since it was easier to maintain runway alignment. 7) at this time, the controller still had not advised me of any traffic. It is also important to understand the runway is closed except for taxi only. 8) approximately 1/2 way down the runway I noticed another aircraft immediately in front of me coming the other way. 9) I applied the brakes, but discovered braking action was too poor to stop in time. 10) to avoid the airplane I then used differential power and made an evasive turn to the left. 11) it appeared I avoided the other airplane by about 3-5'. I did not see, feel nor hear any sign of impact. 12) I then stopped and attempted to get the tower's attention. The tower was very busy and did not respond to me. 13) I then noticed the other aircraft continue his taxi and assumed he also felt no sign of impact. 14) I then proceeded to taxi to the ramp, feeling assured the situation was just a close call. I did not notice any damage at all to my airplane when I got out. 15) I then prepared and flew the next airplane I was scheduled to fly. 16) later that day (I don't know what time) the airplane involved in the encounter was discovered to have minimal wing tip skin damage to the right wing tip. I am not 100% convinced that the damage occurred during the taxi encounter. Main contributing factors were: 1) the controller never did advise me of any conflicting traffic at any time. 2) the poor visibility of the windshield forced me to focus mostly to the side. 3) the color of the aircraft blended in with the surrounding snow.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX PLT TAXIING IN LIMITED VISIBILITY CONTACTS WING TIP OF ANOTHER TAXIING ACFT WITH NO KNOWN DAMAGE AT THAT TIME. RWY IN SUE FOR TAXI BY BOTH ACFT CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION, TAXI ONLY. REPORTER CITES ICE AND SNOW CLINGING TO WINDSCREEN PRIMARY CAUSE AND NO TRAFFIC ADVISORY FROM TWR. PLT OF ACFT X DID NOT SWITCH TO GND CTL.

Narrative: THE FOLLOWING EVENTS ARE THOSE THAT LED UP TO AN ENCOUNTER WITH ANOTHER ACFT WHILE TAXIING. 1) DURING THE ILS APCH TO BWI, I ENCOUNTERED A LIGHT ICING CONDITION THAT LEFT A SMALL AMOUNT OF ICE ON THE WINDSHIELD. UPON LNDG ON RWY 15R, THE LCL CTLR GAVE ME INSTRUCTIONS TO CLR THE RWY, AND GAVE ME CLRNC TO TAXI TO THE RAMP. HE DID NOT ADVISE ME TO CHANGE TO GND FREQ. IT WAS APPARENT THAT HE WAS CTLR FOR BOTH. 3) DURING THE LONG TAXI TO THE GA RAMP, ADDITIONAL FALLING SNOW WAS ADHERING TO THE LITTLE ICE ALREADY ON MY WINDSHIELD. THIS MADE VISIBILITY OUT THE FRONT POOR. 4) TO INCREASE MY VISIBILITY, I THEN OPENED MY SIDE WINDOW AND LOOKED OUT OF IT TO TAXI. 5) UPON REACHING RWY 15L, I NOTICED THE RWY WAS SNOW COVERED AND VERY SLICK. 6) I THEN PROCEEDED TO TAXI DOWN THE RWY. I STAYED ON THE LEFT SIDE, SINCE IT WAS EASIER TO MAINTAIN RWY ALIGNMENT. 7) AT THIS TIME, THE CTLR STILL HAD NOT ADVISED ME OF ANY TFC. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE RWY IS CLOSED EXCEPT FOR TAXI ONLY. 8) APPROX 1/2 WAY DOWN THE RWY I NOTICED ANOTHER ACFT IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF ME COMING THE OTHER WAY. 9) I APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT DISCOVERED BRAKING ACTION WAS TOO POOR TO STOP IN TIME. 10) TO AVOID THE AIRPLANE I THEN USED DIFFERENTIAL PWR AND MADE AN EVASIVE TURN TO THE LEFT. 11) IT APPEARED I AVOIDED THE OTHER AIRPLANE BY ABOUT 3-5'. I DID NOT SEE, FEEL NOR HEAR ANY SIGN OF IMPACT. 12) I THEN STOPPED AND ATTEMPTED TO GET THE TWR'S ATTN. THE TWR WAS VERY BUSY AND DID NOT RESPOND TO ME. 13) I THEN NOTICED THE OTHER ACFT CONTINUE HIS TAXI AND ASSUMED HE ALSO FELT NO SIGN OF IMPACT. 14) I THEN PROCEEDED TO TAXI TO THE RAMP, FEELING ASSURED THE SITUATION WAS JUST A CLOSE CALL. I DID NOT NOTICE ANY DAMAGE AT ALL TO MY AIRPLANE WHEN I GOT OUT. 15) I THEN PREPARED AND FLEW THE NEXT AIRPLANE I WAS SCHEDULED TO FLY. 16) LATER THAT DAY (I DON'T KNOW WHAT TIME) THE AIRPLANE INVOLVED IN THE ENCOUNTER WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE MINIMAL WING TIP SKIN DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING TIP. I AM NOT 100% CONVINCED THAT THE DAMAGE OCCURRED DURING THE TAXI ENCOUNTER. MAIN CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: 1) THE CTLR NEVER DID ADVISE ME OF ANY CONFLICTING TFC AT ANY TIME. 2) THE POOR VISIBILITY OF THE WINDSHIELD FORCED ME TO FOCUS MOSTLY TO THE SIDE. 3) THE COLOR OF THE ACFT BLENDED IN WITH THE SURROUNDING SNOW.

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.