B737-400 had completed deicing and was proceeding to runway 6. Taxiway lights obscured by snow and t...

Attributes
ACN	359476
Time
Date	199701
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bdl
State Reference	CT
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ebbr
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	359476
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The airport conditions at bdl airport were reported as ramp and txwys covered with up to 4 inches of snow. It was almost impossible to distinguish between ramp areas, txwys, and adjacent areas. After boarding we taxied to the deice spot and we deiced as per our cold WX operations manual. The surrounding area was compacted snow with small snow banks all around, obscuring all markings and the majority of lights, again making it almost impossible to distinguish between taxiway ramps and adjacent areas. Also, it was still snowing resulting in reduced visibility. We initiated a slow taxiing of the aircraft from the deice spot and were headed southwest toward the end of runway 6. After a few seconds of taxiing, we stopped the aircraft as neither myself nor the captain could ascertain that we were on the center of intended taxiway. The ground controller contacted us and asked to hold our position. Soon after, company personnel approached the aircraft and tried to communicate with their headset, we couldn't establish communications because their headset was malfunctioning. Apparently we were stopped in the immediate area northwest of taxiway C (see attached diagram). We asked the controller if he wanted us to continue taxiing and he gave us the authority/authorized to do so. The captain, looking out his side window, saw that company personnel were inspecting the aircraft and following that a company person marshalled us towards the center of the taxiway gave us 'thumbs up' and we continued taxiing without any difficulties.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-400 HAD COMPLETED DEICING AND WAS PROCEEDING TO RWY 6. TXWY LIGHTS OBSCURED BY SNOW AND TXWY DIFFICULT TO SEE. THOUGHT WAS OFF TXWY AND CGP CHKED ACFT FOR DAMAGE. OK TO CONTINUE AND TWR ISSUED CLRNC TO PROCEED TO RWY 6.

Narrative: THE ARPT CONDITIONS AT BDL ARPT WERE RPTED AS RAMP AND TXWYS COVERED WITH UP TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW. IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DISTINGUISH BTWN RAMP AREAS, TXWYS, AND ADJACENT AREAS. AFTER BOARDING WE TAXIED TO THE DEICE SPOT AND WE DEICED AS PER OUR COLD WX OPS MANUAL. THE SURROUNDING AREA WAS COMPACTED SNOW WITH SMALL SNOW BANKS ALL AROUND, OBSCURING ALL MARKINGS AND THE MAJORITY OF LIGHTS, AGAIN MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DISTINGUISH BTWN TXWY RAMPS AND ADJACENT AREAS. ALSO, IT WAS STILL SNOWING RESULTING IN REDUCED VISIBILITY. WE INITIATED A SLOW TAXIING OF THE ACFT FROM THE DEICE SPOT AND WERE HEADED SW TOWARD THE END OF RWY 6. AFTER A FEW SECONDS OF TAXIING, WE STOPPED THE ACFT AS NEITHER MYSELF NOR THE CAPT COULD ASCERTAIN THAT WE WERE ON THE CTR OF INTENDED TXWY. THE GND CTLR CONTACTED US AND ASKED TO HOLD OUR POS. SOON AFTER, COMPANY PERSONNEL APCHED THE ACFT AND TRIED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR HEADSET, WE COULDN'T ESTABLISH COMS BECAUSE THEIR HEADSET WAS MALFUNCTIONING. APPARENTLY WE WERE STOPPED IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA NW OF TXWY C (SEE ATTACHED DIAGRAM). WE ASKED THE CTLR IF HE WANTED US TO CONTINUE TAXIING AND HE GAVE US THE AUTH TO DO SO. THE CAPT, LOOKING OUT HIS SIDE WINDOW, SAW THAT COMPANY PERSONNEL WERE INSPECTING THE ACFT AND FOLLOWING THAT A COMPANY PERSON MARSHALLED US TOWARDS THE CTR OF THE TXWY GAVE US 'THUMBS UP' AND WE CONTINUED TAXIING WITHOUT ANY DIFFICULTIES.

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.

B737-400 had completed deicing and was proceeding to runway 6. Taxiway lights obscured by snow and taxiway difficult to see. Thought was off taxiway and company ground personnel checked aircraft for damage. Ok to continue and tower issued clearance to proceed to runway 6.