A320 flight crew encounters deep snow while taxiing and the aircraft becomes stuck.

Attributes
ACN	728115
Time
Date	200702
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 12500 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	728115
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	727997
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Environmental Factor Airport
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

Landed on runway 1 at dca and exited runway at taxiway south. Tower cleared us to cross runway 15/33 and taxi to gate. We proceeded to taxiway J to taxiway K1 and made a right turn towards gate. All txwys reported as having areas of ice/snow; no mention of snow depth in paperwork. We could see numerous aircraft tire marks through the snow. From our vantage point snow did not appear deep. Shortly thereafter the aircraft which was moving at 8-10 KTS came to a stop. We decided it would not be prudent to attempt to power out of this position. We called to have a tug pull us to the gate and deemed it to be safer. The aircraft was stopped and the passenger deplaned to busses via door 2L.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW ENCOUNTERS DEEP SNOW WHILE TAXIING AND THE ACFT BECOMES STUCK.

Narrative: LANDED ON RWY 1 AT DCA AND EXITED RWY AT TXWY S. TWR CLRED US TO CROSS RWY 15/33 AND TAXI TO GATE. WE PROCEEDED TO TXWY J TO TXWY K1 AND MADE A R TURN TOWARDS GATE. ALL TXWYS RPTED AS HAVING AREAS OF ICE/SNOW; NO MENTION OF SNOW DEPTH IN PAPERWORK. WE COULD SEE NUMEROUS ACFT TIRE MARKS THROUGH THE SNOW. FROM OUR VANTAGE POINT SNOW DID NOT APPEAR DEEP. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ACFT WHICH WAS MOVING AT 8-10 KTS CAME TO A STOP. WE DECIDED IT WOULD NOT BE PRUDENT TO ATTEMPT TO PWR OUT OF THIS POS. WE CALLED TO HAVE A TUG PULL US TO THE GATE AND DEEMED IT TO BE SAFER. THE ACFT WAS STOPPED AND THE PAX DEPLANED TO BUSSES VIA DOOR 2L.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.