Narrative:

2 days after a major east coast snow and ice storm we were taxiing out for takeoff at clt. The sun was out, the temperature was 31 degrees or 32 degrees. The ramp was covered with water, slush, patches of hard packed snow and ice, and some bare patches. The runways were mostly clear. While taxiing out I asked the first officer if there were any braking action reports. He had listened to the ATIS and said the ramps and txwys were 'fair to nil' braking. Traffic was moving to the takeoff runway (36L) ahead of us and behind us. We were cleared to taxi to runway 36L via taxiway C. While taxiing I checked the braking frequently and taxied very slowly. There was no problem with braking or turning. While on taxiway C, ground asked us for a braking action, and we reported 'fair.' after departure I re-examined the NOTAMS and discovered a 'nil' braking report on taxiway C from taxiway C3 to the end. We had taxied over this segment and found the braking fair, but without realizing the current report was nil. The nil report was 2 hours old, but I believe we should not have used this segment without an inspection by qualified airport or airline personnel and/or treatment. The lesson here was carefully read the airport NOTAMS for all field conditions. The ATIS was not specific as to the precise area of nil braking nor was it updated. Ground cleared aircraft to the runway for 2 hours before updating it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER DEP, CAPT RPTR DISCOVERED BY REEXAMINING THE ARPT NOTAMS THAT A PORTION OF TXWY C WAS LISTED AS NIL BRAKING ACTION. RPTR CAPT HAD TAXIED ON THAT PORTION AND RPTED TO TWR THAT THE BRAKING WAS FAIR. THE NIL RPT WAS 2 HRS OLD AND RPTR SAYS THE INFO SHOULD HAVE BEEN UPDATED AND OR FLCS NOTIFIED BY THE TWR OF ANY QUESTIONABLE BRAKING ON ANY PORTION OF THE TXWYS.

Narrative: 2 DAYS AFTER A MAJOR E COAST SNOW AND ICE STORM WE WERE TAXIING OUT FOR TKOF AT CLT. THE SUN WAS OUT, THE TEMP WAS 31 DEGS OR 32 DEGS. THE RAMP WAS COVERED WITH WATER, SLUSH, PATCHES OF HARD PACKED SNOW AND ICE, AND SOME BARE PATCHES. THE RWYS WERE MOSTLY CLR. WHILE TAXIING OUT I ASKED THE FO IF THERE WERE ANY BRAKING ACTION RPTS. HE HAD LISTENED TO THE ATIS AND SAID THE RAMPS AND TXWYS WERE 'FAIR TO NIL' BRAKING. TFC WAS MOVING TO THE TKOF RWY (36L) AHEAD OF US AND BEHIND US. WE WERE CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 36L VIA TXWY C. WHILE TAXIING I CHKED THE BRAKING FREQUENTLY AND TAXIED VERY SLOWLY. THERE WAS NO PROB WITH BRAKING OR TURNING. WHILE ON TXWY C, GND ASKED US FOR A BRAKING ACTION, AND WE RPTED 'FAIR.' AFTER DEP I RE-EXAMINED THE NOTAMS AND DISCOVERED A 'NIL' BRAKING RPT ON TXWY C FROM TXWY C3 TO THE END. WE HAD TAXIED OVER THIS SEGMENT AND FOUND THE BRAKING FAIR, BUT WITHOUT REALIZING THE CURRENT RPT WAS NIL. THE NIL RPT WAS 2 HRS OLD, BUT I BELIEVE WE SHOULD NOT HAVE USED THIS SEGMENT WITHOUT AN INSPECTION BY QUALIFIED ARPT OR AIRLINE PERSONNEL AND/OR TREATMENT. THE LESSON HERE WAS CAREFULLY READ THE ARPT NOTAMS FOR ALL FIELD CONDITIONS. THE ATIS WAS NOT SPECIFIC AS TO THE PRECISE AREA OF NIL BRAKING NOR WAS IT UPDATED. GND CLRED ACFT TO THE RWY FOR 2 HRS BEFORE UPDATING IT.

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.