Narrative:

We were taxiing for departure on runway 32. The taxiway was covered with compacted snow and ice but braking action was adequate. As we approached the end of the parallel taxiway I was proceeding very slowly. However, as I applied the brakes to slow further for the turn to the runway there was no braking action at all. The taxiway sloped downward slightly at that point and the aircraft was not slowing at all. The surface turned to solid ice at that point with no surface preparation at all. I then applied reverse thrust and stopped about 10' from the edge of the taxiway. We then proceeded onto the runway for an uneventful departure. The only NOTAMS on the ATIS was that braking action good on runway 32. In addition the ground controller gave us a recent PIREP of braking action good on runway 32. There was no mention of taxiway conditions at all on the ATIS or company NOTAMS. I reported to the tower that the taxiway was very slick at that point but in retrospect I should have reported braking action nil. This even reinforces what I already knew but it still caught me by surprise. That is, be extra careful anytime during slick runway or taxiway conditions, but particularly in areas that are not accustomed to snow and ice. The condition reports and surface preparation may or may not be adequate or accurate so be prepared for anything. This was a close one that I'll definitely file away in my memory banks for future use.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF ACR MLG LOST CTL OF THE ACFT ON AN ICY TXWY BUT WERE ABLE TO STOP USING REVERSE THRUST BEFORE A TXWY EXCURSION OCCURRED.

Narrative: WE WERE TAXIING FOR DEP ON RWY 32. THE TXWY WAS COVERED WITH COMPACTED SNOW AND ICE BUT BRAKING ACTION WAS ADEQUATE. AS WE APCHED THE END OF THE PARALLEL TXWY I WAS PROCEEDING VERY SLOWLY. HOWEVER, AS I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW FURTHER FOR THE TURN TO THE RWY THERE WAS NO BRAKING ACTION AT ALL. THE TXWY SLOPED DOWNWARD SLIGHTLY AT THAT POINT AND THE ACFT WAS NOT SLOWING AT ALL. THE SURFACE TURNED TO SOLID ICE AT THAT POINT WITH NO SURFACE PREPARATION AT ALL. I THEN APPLIED REVERSE THRUST AND STOPPED ABOUT 10' FROM THE EDGE OF THE TXWY. WE THEN PROCEEDED ONTO THE RWY FOR AN UNEVENTFUL DEP. THE ONLY NOTAMS ON THE ATIS WAS THAT BRAKING ACTION GOOD ON RWY 32. IN ADDITION THE GND CTLR GAVE US A RECENT PIREP OF BRAKING ACTION GOOD ON RWY 32. THERE WAS NO MENTION OF TXWY CONDITIONS AT ALL ON THE ATIS OR COMPANY NOTAMS. I RPTED TO THE TWR THAT THE TXWY WAS VERY SLICK AT THAT POINT BUT IN RETROSPECT I SHOULD HAVE RPTED BRAKING ACTION NIL. THIS EVEN REINFORCES WHAT I ALREADY KNEW BUT IT STILL CAUGHT ME BY SURPRISE. THAT IS, BE EXTRA CAREFUL ANYTIME DURING SLICK RWY OR TXWY CONDITIONS, BUT PARTICULARLY IN AREAS THAT ARE NOT ACCUSTOMED TO SNOW AND ICE. THE CONDITION RPTS AND SURFACE PREPARATION MAY OR MAY NOT BE ADEQUATE OR ACCURATE SO BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING. THIS WAS A CLOSE ONE THAT I'LL DEFINITELY FILE AWAY IN MY MEMORY BANKS FOR FUTURE USE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.