Narrative:

Our flight was dispatched from msp to grr. The flight ran 30 mins late due to the flight deck crew connections inbound. WX for release showed -- snow, visibility variable 3/4-1 mi and ceiling 8 mi variable overcast. The captain was still on high minimums due to recent typing on A320. The crew had been watching the WX reports via ACARS all afternoon, but they just reflected light snow all afternoon, but no unusual field conditions. Breakout from the approach was 500 ft AGL with blowing snow. Forward visibility was about 1 mi. The cockpit crew got 1 report of poor braking from ZAU just prior to approach clearance. One other aircraft was departing just prior to our arrival. Tower is closed at grr at this time of night. Upon touchdown, the accuracy of the poor braking was confirmed, but the depth of snow was the real shocker. Our estimate was 1-4 inches of wet snow, close to slush in some spots. The station personnel were using the airport police report of just a thin covering of snow that was less than 1 inch. The station personnel stated that they are not trained in WX observation techniques, and dispatch had no problems with contaminants reported to them. Obviously, reality differed considerably with the reported WX. The cockpit crew would not have landed, if more accurate data had been made available.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A RESTR CAPT'S RPT ON LNDG AT GRR WITH ABOUT 4 INCHES OF WET SNOW WHEN LESS THAN 1 INCH WAS EXPECTED ON THE RWY AT GRR, MI.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS DISPATCHED FROM MSP TO GRR. THE FLT RAN 30 MINS LATE DUE TO THE FLT DECK CREW CONNECTIONS INBOUND. WX FOR RELEASE SHOWED -- SNOW, VISIBILITY VARIABLE 3/4-1 MI AND CEILING 8 MI VARIABLE OVCST. THE CAPT WAS STILL ON HIGH MINIMUMS DUE TO RECENT TYPING ON A320. THE CREW HAD BEEN WATCHING THE WX RPTS VIA ACARS ALL AFTERNOON, BUT THEY JUST REFLECTED LIGHT SNOW ALL AFTERNOON, BUT NO UNUSUAL FIELD CONDITIONS. BREAKOUT FROM THE APCH WAS 500 FT AGL WITH BLOWING SNOW. FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 1 MI. THE COCKPIT CREW GOT 1 RPT OF POOR BRAKING FROM ZAU JUST PRIOR TO APCH CLRNC. ONE OTHER ACFT WAS DEPARTING JUST PRIOR TO OUR ARR. TWR IS CLOSED AT GRR AT THIS TIME OF NIGHT. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE ACCURACY OF THE POOR BRAKING WAS CONFIRMED, BUT THE DEPTH OF SNOW WAS THE REAL SHOCKER. OUR ESTIMATE WAS 1-4 INCHES OF WET SNOW, CLOSE TO SLUSH IN SOME SPOTS. THE STATION PERSONNEL WERE USING THE ARPT POLICE RPT OF JUST A THIN COVERING OF SNOW THAT WAS LESS THAN 1 INCH. THE STATION PERSONNEL STATED THAT THEY ARE NOT TRAINED IN WX OBSERVATION TECHNIQUES, AND DISPATCH HAD NO PROBS WITH CONTAMINANTS RPTED TO THEM. OBVIOUSLY, REALITY DIFFERED CONSIDERABLY WITH THE RPTED WX. THE COCKPIT CREW WOULD NOT HAVE LANDED, IF MORE ACCURATE DATA HAD BEEN MADE AVAILABLE.

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.