Narrative:

After landing on runway 4 at ZZZ in freezing precipitation and snow; I started to turn off the runway at taxiway P. Near 30 degrees into the 90 degree turn; I could not turn the nosewheel tiller any further. I was able to continue the turn with differential braking and stopped straight ahead on taxiway P. I attempted to turn the tiller to the left and could only turn it 15 degrees past the center and to the right only 25 degrees. The first officer contacted station and had a tug and mechanics come out to the plane. The mechanics looked at the nose gear and noted a build-up of ice; but nothing in their opinion that should stop the hydraulic system from turning the nosewheel. We were tugged into the gate without any incident. Supplemental information from acn 765488: after landing; captain slowed the aircraft and began to turn off the runway. Nosewheel steering got jammed. Tiller was difficult to turn and he had to use maximum effort to get a slight turn. Used differential braking to make turn off the runway. Once we got straightened out on taxiway; we stopped the aircraft; had maintenance inspect the gear; and they determined we had to be towed in. Callback conversation with reporter acn 765485 revealed the following information: reporter stated icing conditions existed on approach and due to weather and approach requirements; he dropped the landing gear at approximately 3000 ft AGL; when normally they would do so at approximately 1500 ft AGL. Light snow and snow pellets were encountered with outside temperatures at 2 degrees F.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 CAPTAIN DESCRIBES EFFORTS TO STEER ACFT WITH THE NOSEWHEEL TILLER AFTER LANDING DURING FREEZING PRECIPITATION AND SNOW. ACFT REQUIRED TOW INTO GATE FROM TAXIWAY.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG ON RWY 4 AT ZZZ IN FREEZING PRECIP AND SNOW; I STARTED TO TURN OFF THE RWY AT TXWY P. NEAR 30 DEGS INTO THE 90 DEG TURN; I COULD NOT TURN THE NOSEWHEEL TILLER ANY FURTHER. I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE THE TURN WITH DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING AND STOPPED STRAIGHT AHEAD ON TXWY P. I ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE TILLER TO THE L AND COULD ONLY TURN IT 15 DEGS PAST THE CTR AND TO THE R ONLY 25 DEGS. THE FO CONTACTED STATION AND HAD A TUG AND MECHS COME OUT TO THE PLANE. THE MECHS LOOKED AT THE NOSE GEAR AND NOTED A BUILD-UP OF ICE; BUT NOTHING IN THEIR OPINION THAT SHOULD STOP THE HYD SYS FROM TURNING THE NOSEWHEEL. WE WERE TUGGED INTO THE GATE WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 765488: AFTER LNDG; CAPT SLOWED THE ACFT AND BEGAN TO TURN OFF THE RWY. NOSEWHEEL STEERING GOT JAMMED. TILLER WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN AND HE HAD TO USE MAX EFFORT TO GET A SLIGHT TURN. USED DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING TO MAKE TURN OFF THE RWY. ONCE WE GOT STRAIGHTENED OUT ON TXWY; WE STOPPED THE ACFT; HAD MAINT INSPECT THE GEAR; AND THEY DETERMINED WE HAD TO BE TOWED IN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN 765485 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED ICING CONDITIONS EXISTED ON APPROACH AND DUE TO WEATHER AND APPROACH REQUIREMENTS; HE DROPPED THE LANDING GEAR AT APPROX 3000 FT AGL; WHEN NORMALLY THEY WOULD DO SO AT APPROX 1500 FT AGL. LIGHT SNOW AND SNOW PELLETS WERE ENCOUNTERED WITH OUTSIDE TEMPS AT 2 DEGS F.

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.