Narrative:

After landing runway 27R atl, we exited at high speed N2 at normal taxi speed. Tower instructed us to hold short of runway 27R at taxiway T. As we started a right turn to taxiway T, tower issued a last min change to turn left on november and proceed to the west end and hold short of runway 27R. We reversed taxi direction and with approximately 30 degrees of turn remaining, the nosewheel suddenly and rapidly slid to the right placing the aircraft facing north. The captain immediately applied braking to stop the aircraft on the taxiway. First officer informed atl tower that further taxiing was not possible and that assistance would be required. First officer contacted atl air carrier ramp and informed them of the situation. Ramp was already aware of the situation through communication with atl ATC, and informed the crew that a tug was on the way. While waiting for the tug, atl ATC instructed crew to contact company. First officer contacted air carrier ramp tower maintenance representative and was informed that the tug couldn't push aircraft back from its position. Tower representative then asked the crew if we could power back. First officer asked if the crew had authority/authorized to power back, reply was yes. Captain explained situation to atl ground control and received assurance that area behind aircraft was clear for a power back. Crew then proceeded to discuss and perform power back. First officer made PA's to passenger and informed csc of situation and power back procedure. Crew then proceeded with a routine taxi to assigned gate. Contributing factor: last min change of ATC taxi instructions should be avoided. Our company operating manual prohibits all power backs, except in abnormal or irregular operations and requires coordination with flight control. Crew felt this was an irregular operation and authority/authorized was received.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MD88 IS GIVEN CLRNC TO TURN ONE DIRECTION ON TXWY, THEN THE OTHER WAY ON TXWY. IN PROCESS OF TURNING, THE NOSEWHEEL SLID R ON THE TXWY. TUG UNABLE TO TOW THE ACFT. PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO PWR BACK. THIS WORKS.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG RWY 27R ATL, WE EXITED AT HIGH SPD N2 AT NORMAL TAXI SPD. TWR INSTRUCTED US TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 27R AT TXWY T. AS WE STARTED A R TURN TO TXWY T, TWR ISSUED A LAST MIN CHANGE TO TURN L ON NOVEMBER AND PROCEED TO THE W END AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 27R. WE REVERSED TAXI DIRECTION AND WITH APPROX 30 DEGS OF TURN REMAINING, THE NOSEWHEEL SUDDENLY AND RAPIDLY SLID TO THE R PLACING THE ACFT FACING N. THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY APPLIED BRAKING TO STOP THE ACFT ON THE TXWY. FO INFORMED ATL TWR THAT FURTHER TAXIING WAS NOT POSSIBLE AND THAT ASSISTANCE WOULD BE REQUIRED. FO CONTACTED ATL ACR RAMP AND INFORMED THEM OF THE SIT. RAMP WAS ALREADY AWARE OF THE SIT THROUGH COM WITH ATL ATC, AND INFORMED THE CREW THAT A TUG WAS ON THE WAY. WHILE WAITING FOR THE TUG, ATL ATC INSTRUCTED CREW TO CONTACT COMPANY. FO CONTACTED ACR RAMP TWR MAINT REPRESENTATIVE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TUG COULDN'T PUSH ACFT BACK FROM ITS POS. TWR REPRESENTATIVE THEN ASKED THE CREW IF WE COULD PWR BACK. FO ASKED IF THE CREW HAD AUTH TO PWR BACK, REPLY WAS YES. CAPT EXPLAINED SIT TO ATL GND CTL AND RECEIVED ASSURANCE THAT AREA BEHIND ACFT WAS CLR FOR A PWR BACK. CREW THEN PROCEEDED TO DISCUSS AND PERFORM PWR BACK. FO MADE PA'S TO PAX AND INFORMED CSC OF SIT AND PWR BACK PROC. CREW THEN PROCEEDED WITH A ROUTINE TAXI TO ASSIGNED GATE. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR: LAST MIN CHANGE OF ATC TAXI INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD BE AVOIDED. OUR COMPANY OPERATING MANUAL PROHIBITS ALL PWR BACKS, EXCEPT IN ABNORMAL OR IRREGULAR OPS AND REQUIRES COORD WITH FLT CTL. CREW FELT THIS WAS AN IRREGULAR OP AND AUTH WAS RECEIVED.

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.