Narrative:

During rollout from an uneventful flight, tower requested turnoff at taxiway Y11 reverse high speed due to aircraft landing just behind us. Taxiway Y11 had a lot of snow on it and it appeared the taxiway lights were off. As I turned off runway 3L, the nosewheel slightly entered the mud. We advised tower of our position on the runway and situation. We also called maintenance for an inspection and tug. They said it would be a while. Due to our position, I could not see how a tug could be hooked up to us to push us out. Furthermore, many aircraft were low on fuel from holding, and needed to land or divert. Runway 3R was closed for snow removal, and we were on the only usable runway at that time. I also knew the nosewheel did not go too far into mud. Runway 3L had just been plowed and it was mostly clean. With all these thoughts in mind, I elected to attempt to reverse thrust back onto runway, the reverse thrust was successful and we taxied off the runway, cleared, and stopped. We called maintenance again for an inspection, and again they said it would be a while. While taxiing off the runway, the aircraft steering and nosewheel operated and felt normal. After discussing this with maintenance, I elected to taxi the short distance to gate. Maintenance inspected the aircraft and reported no damage. FAA maintenance inspector was in the jump seat for the flight. After the flight, he said we performed safely and prudently, and said he would put that in his report. Also, he agreed that taxiway Y11 had not been plowed and the taxiway Y11 lights appeared to be off. Supplemental information from acn 427932: we had an FAA airworthiness inspector in the jump seat for the entire flight. Even though he complimented us on our judgement and safety handling the event, his presence affected the communication and working environment of the cockpit. Up until the landing, his behavior had been openly cold and intimidating.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A DC9-30 INSTRUCTED TO TURN OFF RWY ON A REVERSE HIGH SPD TXWY HAS THE NOSEWHEEL EXIT THE TXWY AND INTO THE MUD. THERE WAS A LOT OF SNOW ON THE TXWY AND THE TXWY LIGHTS WERE NOT ON SO IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SIGHT THE ACTUAL TURNOFF. UNABLE TO GET GND ASSISTANCE PROMPTLY, THE CREW DECIDES TO REVERSE TAXI OUT OF THE MUD.

Narrative: DURING ROLLOUT FROM AN UNEVENTFUL FLT, TWR REQUESTED TURNOFF AT TXWY Y11 REVERSE HIGH SPD DUE TO ACFT LNDG JUST BEHIND US. TXWY Y11 HAD A LOT OF SNOW ON IT AND IT APPEARED THE TXWY LIGHTS WERE OFF. AS I TURNED OFF RWY 3L, THE NOSEWHEEL SLIGHTLY ENTERED THE MUD. WE ADVISED TWR OF OUR POS ON THE RWY AND SIT. WE ALSO CALLED MAINT FOR AN INSPECTION AND TUG. THEY SAID IT WOULD BE A WHILE. DUE TO OUR POS, I COULD NOT SEE HOW A TUG COULD BE HOOKED UP TO US TO PUSH US OUT. FURTHERMORE, MANY ACFT WERE LOW ON FUEL FROM HOLDING, AND NEEDED TO LAND OR DIVERT. RWY 3R WAS CLOSED FOR SNOW REMOVAL, AND WE WERE ON THE ONLY USABLE RWY AT THAT TIME. I ALSO KNEW THE NOSEWHEEL DID NOT GO TOO FAR INTO MUD. RWY 3L HAD JUST BEEN PLOWED AND IT WAS MOSTLY CLEAN. WITH ALL THESE THOUGHTS IN MIND, I ELECTED TO ATTEMPT TO REVERSE THRUST BACK ONTO RWY, THE REVERSE THRUST WAS SUCCESSFUL AND WE TAXIED OFF THE RWY, CLRED, AND STOPPED. WE CALLED MAINT AGAIN FOR AN INSPECTION, AND AGAIN THEY SAID IT WOULD BE A WHILE. WHILE TAXIING OFF THE RWY, THE ACFT STEERING AND NOSEWHEEL OPERATED AND FELT NORMAL. AFTER DISCUSSING THIS WITH MAINT, I ELECTED TO TAXI THE SHORT DISTANCE TO GATE. MAINT INSPECTED THE ACFT AND RPTED NO DAMAGE. FAA MAINT INSPECTOR WAS IN THE JUMP SEAT FOR THE FLT. AFTER THE FLT, HE SAID WE PERFORMED SAFELY AND PRUDENTLY, AND SAID HE WOULD PUT THAT IN HIS RPT. ALSO, HE AGREED THAT TXWY Y11 HAD NOT BEEN PLOWED AND THE TXWY Y11 LIGHTS APPEARED TO BE OFF. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 427932: WE HAD AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR IN THE JUMP SEAT FOR THE ENTIRE FLT. EVEN THOUGH HE COMPLIMENTED US ON OUR JUDGEMENT AND SAFETY HANDLING THE EVENT, HIS PRESENCE AFFECTED THE COM AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT OF THE COCKPIT. UP UNTIL THE LNDG, HIS BEHAVIOR HAD BEEN OPENLY COLD AND INTIMIDATING.

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.