A LJ45 flight crew lost directional control on the takeoff roll on a snow covered runway and exited ...

Attributes
ACN	935049
Time
Date	201102
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Learjet 45
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	Takeoff
Route In Use	Direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	First Officer Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100 Flight Crew Total 5000 Flight Crew Type 250
Person 2
Function	Pilot Not Flying Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 55 Flight Crew Total 6766 Flight Crew Type 3947
Events
Anomaly	Ground Excursion Runway Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control

Narrative:

We arrived at ZZZ to pick up additional passengers enroute to our final destination. We encountered no ice or braking action problems on the landing rollout. We took on fuel; picked up six passengers for a total of eight; restarted engines and taxied to the deicing spot. After deicing; we performed a tactile wing inspection; got our clearance and ran the before takeoff checks. We then announced on CTAF that we were departing the runway. I applied takeoff power to both engines while the pilot not flying called out airspeeds and engine parameters. At approximately 1;000 ft from the end of the runway we hit a patch of ice under the snow. I felt the right main gear begin to skid and the aircraft veer to the right. I applied left rudder pressure to correct the drift but we continued to skid. The pilot not flying called the drift and yelled 'go left; go left' but the aircraft wasn't responding to my inputs. We exited the runway surface and continued approximately 200 ft before coming to a stop in the snow and mud. We shut down both engines and asked the passengers if they were ok; to which they replied that everyone was uninjured. We told them to sit tight while we examined the aircraft for damage and possible fire hazards. After determining that there was no risk of fire we deplaned the passengers. Now; I think that pilots shouldn't take off in similar conditions without first having the runway plowed and a braking action report issued.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A LJ45 flight crew lost directional control on the takeoff roll on a snow covered runway and exited the runway with minimal damage and no injuries.

Narrative: We arrived at ZZZ to pick up additional passengers enroute to our final destination. We encountered no ice or braking action problems on the landing rollout. We took on fuel; picked up six passengers for a total of eight; restarted engines and taxied to the deicing spot. After deicing; we performed a tactile wing inspection; got our clearance and ran the before takeoff checks. We then announced on CTAF that we were departing the runway. I applied takeoff power to both engines while the pilot not flying called out airspeeds and engine parameters. At approximately 1;000 FT from the end of the runway we hit a patch of ice under the snow. I felt the right main gear begin to skid and the aircraft veer to the right. I applied left rudder pressure to correct the drift but we continued to skid. The pilot not flying called the drift and yelled 'go left; go left' but the aircraft wasn't responding to my inputs. We exited the runway surface and continued approximately 200 FT before coming to a stop in the snow and mud. We shut down both engines and asked the passengers if they were OK; to which they replied that everyone was uninjured. We told them to sit tight while we examined the aircraft for damage and possible fire hazards. After determining that there was no risk of fire we deplaned the passengers. Now; I think that pilots shouldn't take off in similar conditions without first having the runway plowed and a braking action report issued.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.