Air carrier crosses runway when told to hold short. Snow, slick surface not able to stop.

Attributes
ACN	200435
Time
Date	199201
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	200435
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was a first officer on an large transport landing on runway 4R at chicago O'hare. After landing we turned off at a highspd taxiway and were told to hold short of runway 9R. Because of snow covering the ground, runways, taxiways and centerline markings were extremely hard to see. While attempting to hold short of the runway the slick conditions made it impossible to stop before crossing runway 9R. When this became apparent we advised tower and continued to cross because we thought this was the safest course of action. I think the major cause of this problem was the snow covering the runways and taxiways making stopping and orientation difficult. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states they probably could have stopped but would have been in middle of runway. Deemed it safer to continue on across and out of way of other traffic. Feels they were unable to determine where runway was in the short distance from high speed taxiway with snow covering markings and signs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CROSSES RWY WHEN TOLD TO HOLD SHORT. SNOW, SLICK SURFACE NOT ABLE TO STOP.

Narrative: I WAS A FO ON AN LGT LNDG ON RWY 4R AT CHICAGO O'HARE. AFTER LNDG WE TURNED OFF AT A HIGHSPD TAXIWAY AND WERE TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 9R. BECAUSE OF SNOW COVERING THE GND, RWYS, TAXIWAYS AND CTRLINE MARKINGS WERE EXTREMELY HARD TO SEE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO HOLD SHORT OF THE RWY THE SLICK CONDITIONS MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP BEFORE XING RWY 9R. WHEN THIS BECAME APPARENT WE ADVISED TWR AND CONTINUED TO CROSS BECAUSE WE THOUGHT THIS WAS THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION. I THINK THE MAJOR CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM WAS THE SNOW COVERING THE RWYS AND TAXIWAYS MAKING STOPPING AND ORIENTATION DIFFICULT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THEY PROBABLY COULD HAVE STOPPED BUT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN MIDDLE OF RWY. DEEMED IT SAFER TO CONTINUE ON ACROSS AND OUT OF WAY OF OTHER TFC. FEELS THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHERE RWY WAS IN THE SHORT DISTANCE FROM HIGH SPD TAXIWAY WITH SNOW COVERING MARKINGS AND SIGNS.

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.