While taxiing on icy runway to deicing, flight crew lost control of aircraft and it skidded off the ...

Attributes
ACN	323359
Time
Date	199512
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mke
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	323359
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	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Taxiing out on taxiway F towards deicing area on the east side of runway 3C, I was taxiing with a single engine to conserve fuel. There were 15 aircraft in front to deice. There had been snow and freezing rain which had coated our aircraft with ice so we needed to be deiced. The ground control then directed us towards another deicing area set up on the east side of the terminal. Upon application of power on the right engine we started to taxi in a straight line (47 percent N1). In order to 'shed ice' there is a requirement to attain 50 percent N1 once each 30 mins so I gave the throttle about 1/2 inch more forward travel. The nosewheel then broke free and we started towards the edge of the runway. I immediately retarded the power and tried differential braking and steering without success. We came to a stop in some snow at the edge of runway 3C. I asked the ground if the lights were on the pavement and he said they were on. Our air carrier doesn't want us trying to taxi if an aircraft has left the pavement. I started the other engine and taxied towards the deicing area. Because someone had said that I had left the pavement, we returned to a gate. There was no damage or evidence that we had left the pavement. There was no ATIS information on slippery conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE TAXIING ON ICY RWY TO DEICING, FLC LOST CTL OF ACFT AND IT SKIDDED OFF THE EDGE OF THE RWY. THE ACFT WAS TAXIED ON ONLY ONE OF ITS 2 ENGS.

Narrative: TAXIING OUT ON TXWY F TOWARDS DEICING AREA ON THE E SIDE OF RWY 3C, I WAS TAXIING WITH A SINGLE ENG TO CONSERVE FUEL. THERE WERE 15 ACFT IN FRONT TO DEICE. THERE HAD BEEN SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN WHICH HAD COATED OUR ACFT WITH ICE SO WE NEEDED TO BE DEICED. THE GND CTL THEN DIRECTED US TOWARDS ANOTHER DEICING AREA SET UP ON THE E SIDE OF THE TERMINAL. UPON APPLICATION OF PWR ON THE R ENG WE STARTED TO TAXI IN A STRAIGHT LINE (47 PERCENT N1). IN ORDER TO 'SHED ICE' THERE IS A REQUIREMENT TO ATTAIN 50 PERCENT N1 ONCE EACH 30 MINS SO I GAVE THE THROTTLE ABOUT 1/2 INCH MORE FORWARD TRAVEL. THE NOSEWHEEL THEN BROKE FREE AND WE STARTED TOWARDS THE EDGE OF THE RWY. I IMMEDIATELY RETARDED THE PWR AND TRIED DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING AND STEERING WITHOUT SUCCESS. WE CAME TO A STOP IN SOME SNOW AT THE EDGE OF RWY 3C. I ASKED THE GND IF THE LIGHTS WERE ON THE PAVEMENT AND HE SAID THEY WERE ON. OUR ACR DOESN'T WANT US TRYING TO TAXI IF AN ACFT HAS LEFT THE PAVEMENT. I STARTED THE OTHER ENG AND TAXIED TOWARDS THE DEICING AREA. BECAUSE SOMEONE HAD SAID THAT I HAD LEFT THE PAVEMENT, WE RETURNED TO A GATE. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE OR EVIDENCE THAT WE HAD LEFT THE PAVEMENT. THERE WAS NO ATIS INFO ON SLIPPERY CONDITIONS.

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.

While taxiing on icy runway to deicing, flight crew lost control of aircraft and it skidded off the edge of the runway. The aircraft was taxied on only one of its 2 engines.