Narrative:

Left main truck departed ramp apron while attempting to turn onto taxiway Z out of cargo ramp. Conditions at the time were night, moderate snow, 6 inches on the ground and txwys (not plowed). Wind gusting to +20 KTS, RVR 5000 ft. In dtw, we have a tight ramp with an uphill exit to taxiway Z. Aircraft had just been deiced. Had holdover time of 30 mins at the start of taxi, only had about 18 mins of holdover time left. Pushback position left us heading 030 degrees on our ramp. Taxi instructions were to go sbound on taxiway Z, hold short of taxiway V. This would require an immediate 90 degree right turn, followed shortly by another immediate 90 degree right turn onto taxiway Z. Because of the aircraft size, I have to ensure I don't 'short' the inside of the turn, otherwise the inbound truck would come close to or off the taxiway. Knowing this, I have to taxi forward and square the turns. At a speed of 4 KTS, started first turn. After 40 degrees of turn, nose tire started skidding straight, bringing the aircraft past my initial turn point. I was about to abort the taxi when the nose tire caught again and we turned another 50 degrees. I knew I was dangerously close to the left edge so I attempted to continue turning. Nose tire skidded again straight forward. Left main tires just left the pavement leaving us stuck with our nose 1/4 of the way into taxiway Z. After the fact it's obvious I should have stayed with my initial decision to abort the taxi. Could have had maintenance push us onto taxiway Z. Factors influencing my decision: maintenance had to deice an airbus after pushing us back. I knew with my limited remaining holdover time, if they hooked up again, I would have to go through deicing/anti-icing again -- further adding to our delay. Supplemental information from acn 430442: WX conditions were very bad. Blowing snow, visibility below 1/2 mi, RVR of 5000 ft or less, 30-20 KTS of wind blowing 90 degrees to aircraft taxi direction. Nosewheel was bald and did not grab very well on the ice and snow. In my opinion, the situation was caused by icy ramp and the aircraft WX vaning in the turn. Corrective action: next time use the tug to get on the taxiway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC10-30 SLIDES OFF OF ICE COVERED CARGO RAMP AT DTW DURING A NIGHT TAXI OP.

Narrative: L MAIN TRUCK DEPARTED RAMP APRON WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN ONTO TXWY Z OUT OF CARGO RAMP. CONDITIONS AT THE TIME WERE NIGHT, MODERATE SNOW, 6 INCHES ON THE GND AND TXWYS (NOT PLOWED). WIND GUSTING TO +20 KTS, RVR 5000 FT. IN DTW, WE HAVE A TIGHT RAMP WITH AN UPHILL EXIT TO TXWY Z. ACFT HAD JUST BEEN DEICED. HAD HOLDOVER TIME OF 30 MINS AT THE START OF TAXI, ONLY HAD ABOUT 18 MINS OF HOLDOVER TIME LEFT. PUSHBACK POS LEFT US HDG 030 DEGS ON OUR RAMP. TAXI INSTRUCTIONS WERE TO GO SBOUND ON TXWY Z, HOLD SHORT OF TXWY V. THIS WOULD REQUIRE AN IMMEDIATE 90 DEG R TURN, FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY ANOTHER IMMEDIATE 90 DEG R TURN ONTO TXWY Z. BECAUSE OF THE ACFT SIZE, I HAVE TO ENSURE I DON'T 'SHORT' THE INSIDE OF THE TURN, OTHERWISE THE INBOUND TRUCK WOULD COME CLOSE TO OR OFF THE TXWY. KNOWING THIS, I HAVE TO TAXI FORWARD AND SQUARE THE TURNS. AT A SPD OF 4 KTS, STARTED FIRST TURN. AFTER 40 DEGS OF TURN, NOSE TIRE STARTED SKIDDING STRAIGHT, BRINGING THE ACFT PAST MY INITIAL TURN POINT. I WAS ABOUT TO ABORT THE TAXI WHEN THE NOSE TIRE CAUGHT AGAIN AND WE TURNED ANOTHER 50 DEGS. I KNEW I WAS DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE L EDGE SO I ATTEMPTED TO CONTINUE TURNING. NOSE TIRE SKIDDED AGAIN STRAIGHT FORWARD. L MAIN TIRES JUST LEFT THE PAVEMENT LEAVING US STUCK WITH OUR NOSE 1/4 OF THE WAY INTO TXWY Z. AFTER THE FACT IT'S OBVIOUS I SHOULD HAVE STAYED WITH MY INITIAL DECISION TO ABORT THE TAXI. COULD HAVE HAD MAINT PUSH US ONTO TXWY Z. FACTORS INFLUENCING MY DECISION: MAINT HAD TO DEICE AN AIRBUS AFTER PUSHING US BACK. I KNEW WITH MY LIMITED REMAINING HOLDOVER TIME, IF THEY HOOKED UP AGAIN, I WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH DEICING/ANTI-ICING AGAIN -- FURTHER ADDING TO OUR DELAY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 430442: WX CONDITIONS WERE VERY BAD. BLOWING SNOW, VISIBILITY BELOW 1/2 MI, RVR OF 5000 FT OR LESS, 30-20 KTS OF WIND BLOWING 90 DEGS TO ACFT TAXI DIRECTION. NOSEWHEEL WAS BALD AND DID NOT GRAB VERY WELL ON THE ICE AND SNOW. IN MY OPINION, THE SIT WAS CAUSED BY ICY RAMP AND THE ACFT WX VANING IN THE TURN. CORRECTIVE ACTION: NEXT TIME USE THE TUG TO GET ON THE TXWY.

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.