Narrative:

We were dispatched to ord, where snow was forecast. The release and logbook indicated that the #3 thrust reverser was MEL'ed. The aircraft was a B727 with a valsan conversion. In addition to replacing #1 and #3 engines with JT8D-217C's. The conversion also eliminates the #2 thrust reverser. Company policy prohibits operation with a thrust reverser inoperative unless braking action is reported fair or better. The crew contacted dispatch and expressed our concern over the forecast for ord, which indicated snow and the reverser limitation. Dispatch called ord and was told braking action is good. We again voiced our concern that this aircraft was being used for this trip, but we went with what we had. Upon arrival in the ord area, ATIS was reporting winds at 010 degrees at 11 KTS, 1/2 mi visibility, 4000 ft RVR, variable RVR 6000 ft, -sn br, 5 mi broken overcast 13 mi with braking action advisories in effect. Over the marker, tower cleared us to land runway 9L, touchdown zone RVR 1800 ft, rollout RVR 1800 ft, braking action good. Minimums were 2400 ft RVR but we were inside the marker so we continued. We had the braking action required for the MEL'ed reverser. Our performance computer assured us that we would have 2100 ft remaining without using reverse. Upon descent, we had the runway environment in sight just above decision altitude. Touchdown was on speed and in the touchdown zone. As the captain applied reverse thrust on #1 engine, the aircraft began to yaw to the left and slip to the left of centerline. The captain reduced reverse thrust to straighten the aircraft and applied full brakes. The brakes appeared to have little to no effect despite maximum braking and antiskid operating. About 1500 ft from the end of the runway when it appeared we would not stop, the captain applied maximum reverse on the operating reverser. The aircraft yawed left and went off the end of the runway at about 20 KTS. There were no injuries to the passenger or crew and very little damage to the aircraft. Braking action was poor to nil. Contributing factors and corrective actions: company dispatching an aircraft with thrust reverser limitations into an area forecasting snow and the potential for slippery runways. Ord reporting braking action good when it was actually poor to nil. Using runway 9L instead of runway 9R. Captain and crew accepting the aircraft in light of the forecast. MEL for thrust reverser inoperative on a valsan should be revised. Combined experience of crew in seat was about 600 hours.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727-200, VALSAN CONVERSION, SLID OFF THE END OF RWY 9L AT ORD.

Narrative: WE WERE DISPATCHED TO ORD, WHERE SNOW WAS FORECAST. THE RELEASE AND LOGBOOK INDICATED THAT THE #3 THRUST REVERSER WAS MEL'ED. THE ACFT WAS A B727 WITH A VALSAN CONVERSION. IN ADDITION TO REPLACING #1 AND #3 ENGS WITH JT8D-217C'S. THE CONVERSION ALSO ELIMINATES THE #2 THRUST REVERSER. COMPANY POLICY PROHIBITS OP WITH A THRUST REVERSER INOP UNLESS BRAKING ACTION IS RPTED FAIR OR BETTER. THE CREW CONTACTED DISPATCH AND EXPRESSED OUR CONCERN OVER THE FORECAST FOR ORD, WHICH INDICATED SNOW AND THE REVERSER LIMITATION. DISPATCH CALLED ORD AND WAS TOLD BRAKING ACTION IS GOOD. WE AGAIN VOICED OUR CONCERN THAT THIS ACFT WAS BEING USED FOR THIS TRIP, BUT WE WENT WITH WHAT WE HAD. UPON ARR IN THE ORD AREA, ATIS WAS RPTING WINDS AT 010 DEGS AT 11 KTS, 1/2 MI VISIBILITY, 4000 FT RVR, VARIABLE RVR 6000 FT, -SN BR, 5 MI BROKEN OVCST 13 MI WITH BRAKING ACTION ADVISORIES IN EFFECT. OVER THE MARKER, TWR CLRED US TO LAND RWY 9L, TOUCHDOWN ZONE RVR 1800 FT, ROLLOUT RVR 1800 FT, BRAKING ACTION GOOD. MINIMUMS WERE 2400 FT RVR BUT WE WERE INSIDE THE MARKER SO WE CONTINUED. WE HAD THE BRAKING ACTION REQUIRED FOR THE MEL'ED REVERSER. OUR PERFORMANCE COMPUTER ASSURED US THAT WE WOULD HAVE 2100 FT REMAINING WITHOUT USING REVERSE. UPON DSCNT, WE HAD THE RWY ENVIRONMENT IN SIGHT JUST ABOVE DECISION ALT. TOUCHDOWN WAS ON SPD AND IN THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE. AS THE CAPT APPLIED REVERSE THRUST ON #1 ENG, THE ACFT BEGAN TO YAW TO THE L AND SLIP TO THE L OF CTRLINE. THE CAPT REDUCED REVERSE THRUST TO STRAIGHTEN THE ACFT AND APPLIED FULL BRAKES. THE BRAKES APPEARED TO HAVE LITTLE TO NO EFFECT DESPITE MAX BRAKING AND ANTISKID OPERATING. ABOUT 1500 FT FROM THE END OF THE RWY WHEN IT APPEARED WE WOULD NOT STOP, THE CAPT APPLIED MAX REVERSE ON THE OPERATING REVERSER. THE ACFT YAWED L AND WENT OFF THE END OF THE RWY AT ABOUT 20 KTS. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE PAX OR CREW AND VERY LITTLE DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. BRAKING ACTION WAS POOR TO NIL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS AND CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: COMPANY DISPATCHING AN ACFT WITH THRUST REVERSER LIMITATIONS INTO AN AREA FORECASTING SNOW AND THE POTENTIAL FOR SLIPPERY RWYS. ORD RPTING BRAKING ACTION GOOD WHEN IT WAS ACTUALLY POOR TO NIL. USING RWY 9L INSTEAD OF RWY 9R. CAPT AND CREW ACCEPTING THE ACFT IN LIGHT OF THE FORECAST. MEL FOR THRUST REVERSER INOP ON A VALSAN SHOULD BE REVISED. COMBINED EXPERIENCE OF CREW IN SEAT WAS ABOUT 600 HRS.

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.