DC9 crew encounters nil braking on taxiway at azo.

Attributes
ACN	422855
Time
Date	199812
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : azo
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 50
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	422855
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Aircraft departed lansing, mi, for kalamazoo, mi. WX package indicated that field conditions at azo were .54 mu. Flight to and landing at azo was uneventful. Tower controller said braking action on runway 35 was .54 on approach. After landing and rollout, tower controller said that we were cleared to our gate via taxiway C and that braking action was .28 mu (fair). As we turned to enter the taxiway, it was apparent that nosewheel steering was unavailable due to ice at the intersection of the runway and taxiway. Also, braking action was poor to nil. The aircraft was heading for the side of the taxiway and was not slowing or turning. I told captain to use reverse thrust in an attempt to stop the aircraft before departing the taxiway. (The 'captain' is a new captain on an IOE trip. It was a chief pilot in the right seat.) he used reverse thrust and was able to stop the aircraft. Compressor stalls were experienced, but unsure of which engines. As the aircraft came to a stop, the nose of the aircraft turned left. Airplanes were waiting to take off on runway 35 and I was unsure if we were totally clear of the runway. We continued to the gate. Steering was good and braking was good. After reporting that braking action was nil, we proceeded to gate with no problems. At gate, I requested ground check of taxiway to be absolutely certain we didn't hit anything. After contacting company dispatch and inspecting aircraft to be certain no damage, it was concluded no damage was done to aircraft and that indeed we had stayed on taxiway. Engines were inspected per maintenance procedures for compressor stalls. All ok.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 CREW ENCOUNTERS NIL BRAKING ON TXWY AT AZO.

Narrative: ACFT DEPARTED LANSING, MI, FOR KALAMAZOO, MI. WX PACKAGE INDICATED THAT FIELD CONDITIONS AT AZO WERE .54 MU. FLT TO AND LNDG AT AZO WAS UNEVENTFUL. TWR CTLR SAID BRAKING ACTION ON RWY 35 WAS .54 ON APCH. AFTER LNDG AND ROLLOUT, TWR CTLR SAID THAT WE WERE CLRED TO OUR GATE VIA TXWY C AND THAT BRAKING ACTION WAS .28 MU (FAIR). AS WE TURNED TO ENTER THE TXWY, IT WAS APPARENT THAT NOSEWHEEL STEERING WAS UNAVAILABLE DUE TO ICE AT THE INTXN OF THE RWY AND TXWY. ALSO, BRAKING ACTION WAS POOR TO NIL. THE ACFT WAS HDG FOR THE SIDE OF THE TXWY AND WAS NOT SLOWING OR TURNING. I TOLD CAPT TO USE REVERSE THRUST IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE ACFT BEFORE DEPARTING THE TXWY. (THE 'CAPT' IS A NEW CAPT ON AN IOE TRIP. IT WAS A CHIEF PLT IN THE R SEAT.) HE USED REVERSE THRUST AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE ACFT. COMPRESSOR STALLS WERE EXPERIENCED, BUT UNSURE OF WHICH ENGS. AS THE ACFT CAME TO A STOP, THE NOSE OF THE ACFT TURNED L. AIRPLANES WERE WAITING TO TAKE OFF ON RWY 35 AND I WAS UNSURE IF WE WERE TOTALLY CLR OF THE RWY. WE CONTINUED TO THE GATE. STEERING WAS GOOD AND BRAKING WAS GOOD. AFTER RPTING THAT BRAKING ACTION WAS NIL, WE PROCEEDED TO GATE WITH NO PROBS. AT GATE, I REQUESTED GND CHK OF TXWY TO BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN WE DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING. AFTER CONTACTING COMPANY DISPATCH AND INSPECTING ACFT TO BE CERTAIN NO DAMAGE, IT WAS CONCLUDED NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO ACFT AND THAT INDEED WE HAD STAYED ON TXWY. ENGS WERE INSPECTED PER MAINT PROCS FOR COMPRESSOR STALLS. ALL OK.

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.