Narrative:

As we began our taxi to runway 18R we were told to expect a delay. We were instructed to taxi to hold short of runway 18R at intersection E10. This would allow other aircraft to taxi behind us and access the full length of runway 18R. While waiting we were asked if we could take off at intersection E10. Because we did not have the exact numbers for that intersection and were unable to receive them via company ACARS, I decided to accept a back-taxi for takeoff. There was an air carrier aircraft on about a 4 mi final as we were given instruction to back-taxi for takeoff. I quickly and safely back-taxied to the end of runway 18R. I pulled over into the taxiway east intersection and began a left 180 degree turn. Coming through the turn on the other side of the runway we saw that there was snow on the runway. Because it was dark we did not realize that the snow was actually on the runway instead of being plowed off to the side and completely off the runway. The nosewheel became stuck in the snow. We never left the runway and brought the airplane to a safe stop. The air carrier aircraft had to go around and did so without incident. There was some confusion in the cockpit because our VHF-1 radio was (I assume) bumped off frequency after stopping. We established communications with the tower as quickly as we could and advised them of our situation. A tug towed us out of the snow and back to the gate. There was no damage to the aircraft and no injuries to anyone. I was told that the snow covered about 20 ft of the west side of runway 18R. I would say the snow was approximately 4-6 inches deep. There was nothing mentioned on the ATIS about this snow condition on the runway. In the future, runways should be completely plowed leaving no snow on the runways. At least the ends of the runways could be completely cleaned. If this can't be accomplished, then the runway contamination should be reported on ATIS. If this can't be done, then perhaps tower personnel could advise flight crews of snow on the sides of runways when they clear them to back-taxi requiring a 180 degree turn on the runway. Supplemental information from acn 572926: we did not have the data for that so we sent a request via ACARS for E-10 departure. The request failed twice so we told tower we would need full length departure. At our wheels-up time the tower issued us clearance to back-taxi and clearance to take off in the same clearance. Traffic to land on runway 18R was on a 4 mi final. As the nose of the aircraft came through 1/2 of the turn, we hit a large patch of compacted snow. The captain was unable to steer and nosewheel slipped. Maintenance inspection found no aircraft damage. We ferried aircraft back to atlanta. Runway 18R appeared to be clear and dry on back-taxi. As we back-taxied, what snow we did see appeared to be off the runway.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD88 FLT CREW WHILE TURNING AT END OF RWY AFTER TAXI BACK FOR TKOF GETS STUCK IN SNOW BANK AND CAUSES A RWY INCURSION AND GAR AT CLT.

Narrative: AS WE BEGAN OUR TAXI TO RWY 18R WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT A DELAY. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TAXI TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 18R AT INTXN E10. THIS WOULD ALLOW OTHER ACFT TO TAXI BEHIND US AND ACCESS THE FULL LENGTH OF RWY 18R. WHILE WAITING WE WERE ASKED IF WE COULD TAKE OFF AT INTXN E10. BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE THE EXACT NUMBERS FOR THAT INTXN AND WERE UNABLE TO RECEIVE THEM VIA COMPANY ACARS, I DECIDED TO ACCEPT A BACK-TAXI FOR TKOF. THERE WAS AN ACR ACFT ON ABOUT A 4 MI FINAL AS WE WERE GIVEN INSTRUCTION TO BACK-TAXI FOR TKOF. I QUICKLY AND SAFELY BACK-TAXIED TO THE END OF RWY 18R. I PULLED OVER INTO THE TXWY E INTXN AND BEGAN A L 180 DEG TURN. COMING THROUGH THE TURN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RWY WE SAW THAT THERE WAS SNOW ON THE RWY. BECAUSE IT WAS DARK WE DID NOT REALIZE THAT THE SNOW WAS ACTUALLY ON THE RWY INSTEAD OF BEING PLOWED OFF TO THE SIDE AND COMPLETELY OFF THE RWY. THE NOSEWHEEL BECAME STUCK IN THE SNOW. WE NEVER LEFT THE RWY AND BROUGHT THE AIRPLANE TO A SAFE STOP. THE ACR ACFT HAD TO GO AROUND AND DID SO WITHOUT INCIDENT. THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION IN THE COCKPIT BECAUSE OUR VHF-1 RADIO WAS (I ASSUME) BUMPED OFF FREQ AFTER STOPPING. WE ESTABLISHED COMS WITH THE TWR AS QUICKLY AS WE COULD AND ADVISED THEM OF OUR SIT. A TUG TOWED US OUT OF THE SNOW AND BACK TO THE GATE. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT AND NO INJURIES TO ANYONE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE SNOW COVERED ABOUT 20 FT OF THE W SIDE OF RWY 18R. I WOULD SAY THE SNOW WAS APPROX 4-6 INCHES DEEP. THERE WAS NOTHING MENTIONED ON THE ATIS ABOUT THIS SNOW CONDITION ON THE RWY. IN THE FUTURE, RWYS SHOULD BE COMPLETELY PLOWED LEAVING NO SNOW ON THE RWYS. AT LEAST THE ENDS OF THE RWYS COULD BE COMPLETELY CLEANED. IF THIS CAN'T BE ACCOMPLISHED, THEN THE RWY CONTAMINATION SHOULD BE RPTED ON ATIS. IF THIS CAN'T BE DONE, THEN PERHAPS TWR PERSONNEL COULD ADVISE FLT CREWS OF SNOW ON THE SIDES OF RWYS WHEN THEY CLR THEM TO BACK-TAXI REQUIRING A 180 DEG TURN ON THE RWY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 572926: WE DID NOT HAVE THE DATA FOR THAT SO WE SENT A REQUEST VIA ACARS FOR E-10 DEP. THE REQUEST FAILED TWICE SO WE TOLD TWR WE WOULD NEED FULL LENGTH DEP. AT OUR WHEELS-UP TIME THE TWR ISSUED US CLRNC TO BACK-TAXI AND CLRNC TO TAKE OFF IN THE SAME CLRNC. TFC TO LAND ON RWY 18R WAS ON A 4 MI FINAL. AS THE NOSE OF THE ACFT CAME THROUGH 1/2 OF THE TURN, WE HIT A LARGE PATCH OF COMPACTED SNOW. THE CAPT WAS UNABLE TO STEER AND NOSEWHEEL SLIPPED. MAINT INSPECTION FOUND NO ACFT DAMAGE. WE FERRIED ACFT BACK TO ATLANTA. RWY 18R APPEARED TO BE CLR AND DRY ON BACK-TAXI. AS WE BACK-TAXIED, WHAT SNOW WE DID SEE APPEARED TO BE OFF THE RWY.

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.