Air carrier almost slides off icy taxiway.

Attributes
ACN	295424
Time
Date	199501
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cle
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	295424
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

We were instructed to taxi to runway 22 via taxiway 'J.' 3 snow removal trucks were in the process of sweeping 'J' as we approached it from the ramp area. We made a right turn onto 'J' from the ramp. As I attempted to straighten the aircraft I immediately noticed the aircraft sliding to the right. I tried to arrest the slide with nosewheel steering, differential braking and reverse thrust. All had no effect. The taxiway was a clean sheet of ice. The slide was very slow and we came to a stop on the side of the taxiway with the right main gear touching the grass. There was no sand or urea applied to the taxiway after it was brushed. Braking action was nil. The runway was crowned much more than others. There was a 25-30 KT crosswind at the time (left to right). After brushing the txwys, they should be sanded and a car should check braking action before aircraft are allowed on the affected area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ALMOST SLIDES OFF ICY TXWY.

Narrative: WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TAXI TO RWY 22 VIA TXWY 'J.' 3 SNOW REMOVAL TRUCKS WERE IN THE PROCESS OF SWEEPING 'J' AS WE APCHED IT FROM THE RAMP AREA. WE MADE A R TURN ONTO 'J' FROM THE RAMP. AS I ATTEMPTED TO STRAIGHTEN THE ACFT I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THE ACFT SLIDING TO THE R. I TRIED TO ARREST THE SLIDE WITH NOSEWHEEL STEERING, DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING AND REVERSE THRUST. ALL HAD NO EFFECT. THE TXWY WAS A CLEAN SHEET OF ICE. THE SLIDE WAS VERY SLOW AND WE CAME TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE TXWY WITH THE R MAIN GEAR TOUCHING THE GRASS. THERE WAS NO SAND OR UREA APPLIED TO THE TXWY AFTER IT WAS BRUSHED. BRAKING ACTION WAS NIL. THE RWY WAS CROWNED MUCH MORE THAN OTHERS. THERE WAS A 25-30 KT XWIND AT THE TIME (L TO R). AFTER BRUSHING THE TXWYS, THEY SHOULD BE SANDED AND A CAR SHOULD CHK BRAKING ACTION BEFORE ACFT ARE ALLOWED ON THE AFFECTED AREA.

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.