Narrative:

Our flight was scheduled to depart ZZZ at XA10 to clt at XD50. When the aircraft arrived from clt, we learned the #3 brake was inoperative and on MEL. The restr that we were not to land on contaminated runways concerned us since the forecast for clt included snow. When we checked with our dispatcher he told us that charlotte was only reporting a wet runway. During our flight, we continued to query the dispatcher concerning runway conditions at clt in case of a change. We checked via ACARS and the captain got a phone patch to check. All reports stated wet runway in clt. (In this case, a wet runway was not considered as contaminated and we were ok to land.) at XD40 when starting our descent, we checked again and the report via ACARS was only a wet runway was reported. During approach, braking action was reported as good. After landing, we saw that the runway and ramp appeared contaminated by snow. When we asked ramp how long it had been sticking, they responded 'since about XX00.' landing was normal with no problems, but we were not happy about the inaccurate information we kept getting. Afterwards, we called dispatch and found out clt was still just calling a wet runway. In this case, the system to correctly report the runway condition failed and luckily nothing happened that caused a mishap. Next time I will not be so trusting of the report if other cues indicate a problem that is not reported. We were lucky -- the runway was long and braking action was still good. Was it officially contaminated? It looked like it to us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CREW WAS DISPATCHED WITH AN MEL'ED INOP ACFT BRAKE. THIS REQUIRED A LNDG ON AN UNCONTAMINATED RWY.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS SCHEDULED TO DEPART ZZZ AT XA10 TO CLT AT XD50. WHEN THE ACFT ARRIVED FROM CLT, WE LEARNED THE #3 BRAKE WAS INOP AND ON MEL. THE RESTR THAT WE WERE NOT TO LAND ON CONTAMINATED RWYS CONCERNED US SINCE THE FORECAST FOR CLT INCLUDED SNOW. WHEN WE CHKED WITH OUR DISPATCHER HE TOLD US THAT CHARLOTTE WAS ONLY RPTING A WET RWY. DURING OUR FLT, WE CONTINUED TO QUERY THE DISPATCHER CONCERNING RWY CONDITIONS AT CLT IN CASE OF A CHANGE. WE CHKED VIA ACARS AND THE CAPT GOT A PHONE PATCH TO CHK. ALL RPTS STATED WET RWY IN CLT. (IN THIS CASE, A WET RWY WAS NOT CONSIDERED AS CONTAMINATED AND WE WERE OK TO LAND.) AT XD40 WHEN STARTING OUR DSCNT, WE CHKED AGAIN AND THE RPT VIA ACARS WAS ONLY A WET RWY WAS RPTED. DURING APCH, BRAKING ACTION WAS RPTED AS GOOD. AFTER LNDG, WE SAW THAT THE RWY AND RAMP APPEARED CONTAMINATED BY SNOW. WHEN WE ASKED RAMP HOW LONG IT HAD BEEN STICKING, THEY RESPONDED 'SINCE ABOUT XX00.' LNDG WAS NORMAL WITH NO PROBS, BUT WE WERE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THE INACCURATE INFO WE KEPT GETTING. AFTERWARDS, WE CALLED DISPATCH AND FOUND OUT CLT WAS STILL JUST CALLING A WET RWY. IN THIS CASE, THE SYS TO CORRECTLY RPT THE RWY CONDITION FAILED AND LUCKILY NOTHING HAPPENED THAT CAUSED A MISHAP. NEXT TIME I WILL NOT BE SO TRUSTING OF THE RPT IF OTHER CUES INDICATE A PROB THAT IS NOT RPTED. WE WERE LUCKY -- THE RWY WAS LONG AND BRAKING ACTION WAS STILL GOOD. WAS IT OFFICIALLY CONTAMINATED? IT LOOKED LIKE IT TO US.

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.