A310 crew slid off ramp during a snowstorm

Attributes
ACN	493705
Time
Date	200012
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Weather Elements	Snow Ice other
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dtw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A310
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other Other
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 : 500 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	493705
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	494470
Events
Anomaly	excursion : ramp other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

As we taxied into our ramp the WX was changing from light snow to heavy snow. We stopped in the throat of the apron to allow another aircraft to park. Until this point we had no problems with braking action or loss of friction during the turns. As we waited, the condition of the ramp worsened making markings hard to see and the edge of the ramp almost indistinguishable. We could see the centerline well enough to taxi and did not have any reason to believe that the ramp was slippery. As I pushed the power up and started to move at about 2-3 KIAS. The aircraft started to move. We applied nosewheel steering to make a right turn. As we did the aircraft went into a slide to the right. I immediately pulled the power back, centered the tiller and smoothly applied the brakes. The aircraft continued to slide for about 10 ft and the right main gear left the concrete. There was no damage to the aircraft or any personnel. This was on a company ramp in the non movement area of the airport. A mediated flight safety briefing was conducted at the company with flight safety and the standards department to discuss the factors that contributed to this situation and a company line check will follow.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A310 CREW SLID OFF RAMP DURING A SNOWSTORM

Narrative: AS WE TAXIED INTO OUR RAMP THE WX WAS CHANGING FROM LIGHT SNOW TO HVY SNOW. WE STOPPED IN THE THROAT OF THE APRON TO ALLOW ANOTHER ACFT TO PARK. UNTIL THIS POINT WE HAD NO PROBS WITH BRAKING ACTION OR LOSS OF FRICTION DURING THE TURNS. AS WE WAITED, THE CONDITION OF THE RAMP WORSENED MAKING MARKINGS HARD TO SEE AND THE EDGE OF THE RAMP ALMOST INDISTINGUISHABLE. WE COULD SEE THE CTRLINE WELL ENOUGH TO TAXI AND DID NOT HAVE ANY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE RAMP WAS SLIPPERY. AS I PUSHED THE PWR UP AND STARTED TO MOVE AT ABOUT 2-3 KIAS. THE ACFT STARTED TO MOVE. WE APPLIED NOSEWHEEL STEERING TO MAKE A R TURN. AS WE DID THE ACFT WENT INTO A SLIDE TO THE R. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE PWR BACK, CTRED THE TILLER AND SMOOTHLY APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE ACFT CONTINUED TO SLIDE FOR ABOUT 10 FT AND THE R MAIN GEAR LEFT THE CONCRETE. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OR ANY PERSONNEL. THIS WAS ON A COMPANY RAMP IN THE NON MOVEMENT AREA OF THE ARPT. A MEDIATED FLT SAFETY BRIEFING WAS CONDUCTED AT THE COMPANY WITH FLT SAFETY AND THE STANDARDS DEPT TO DISCUSS THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SIT AND A COMPANY LINE CHK WILL FOLLOW.

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.