Flight crew unable to discern hold short markings due to snow.

Attributes
ACN	430580
Time
Date	199903
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : gso.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 3200
ASRS Report	430580
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 1900
ASRS Report	460582
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

Taxi to runway 32R. Crossed bridge on taxiway B and after asking ground control where to stop, he said to stop just past the east side of the bridge, because there was a DC10 holding in the runup pad (south of taxiway B and facing northeast). When after about 5 mins, the DC10 started to taxi toward the runway, ground control instructed us to follow the DC10 in the pad. We jogged over to follow, and when the DC10 taxied out to the end of the runway, we continued to the northeast portion of the pad. When stopped, the first officer asked if we had taxied past the hold short line. My response was that I thought that we had gone past the ILS hold short line but was unable to tell clearly because the line was covered to a large degree by snow. FAA aircraft inspector was also aboard and did not know for sure. When asked, the tower said we were ok to be there. This was daylight, VFR, only takeoffs on runway 32R so no problem, but IFR conditions with landing traffic on runway 32R, we may have been too close. Just a heads up!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC UNABLE TO DISCERN HOLD SHORT MARKINGS DUE TO SNOW.

Narrative: TAXI TO RWY 32R. CROSSED BRIDGE ON TXWY B AND AFTER ASKING GND CTL WHERE TO STOP, HE SAID TO STOP JUST PAST THE E SIDE OF THE BRIDGE, BECAUSE THERE WAS A DC10 HOLDING IN THE RUNUP PAD (S OF TXWY B AND FACING NE). WHEN AFTER ABOUT 5 MINS, THE DC10 STARTED TO TAXI TOWARD THE RWY, GND CTL INSTRUCTED US TO FOLLOW THE DC10 IN THE PAD. WE JOGGED OVER TO FOLLOW, AND WHEN THE DC10 TAXIED OUT TO THE END OF THE RWY, WE CONTINUED TO THE NE PORTION OF THE PAD. WHEN STOPPED, THE FO ASKED IF WE HAD TAXIED PAST THE HOLD SHORT LINE. MY RESPONSE WAS THAT I THOUGHT THAT WE HAD GONE PAST THE ILS HOLD SHORT LINE BUT WAS UNABLE TO TELL CLRLY BECAUSE THE LINE WAS COVERED TO A LARGE DEGREE BY SNOW. FAA ACFT INSPECTOR WAS ALSO ABOARD AND DID NOT KNOW FOR SURE. WHEN ASKED, THE TWR SAID WE WERE OK TO BE THERE. THIS WAS DAYLIGHT, VFR, ONLY TKOFS ON RWY 32R SO NO PROB, BUT IFR CONDITIONS WITH LNDG TFC ON RWY 32R, WE MAY HAVE BEEN TOO CLOSE. JUST A HEADS UP!

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.