Small transport strikes fence while taxiing on icy apron.

Attributes
ACN	130990
Time
Date	198912
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mgw
State Reference	WV
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 45
ASRS Report	130990
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : ground
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Landed on runway 18. Wind was approximately 110 degree 10 KTS. Approval was received from ATC to 180 on runway 18 and turn left onto taxiway and ramp area. Runway had spots of snow but taxi and ramp covered with ice and snow on top of the ice. I was using extreme caution especially after ATC issued an advisory on surface conditions. When I began turn airplane continued straight ahead. Airplane broke traction on the surface and brakes and steering were not effective. Airplane was tracking mostly straight ahead towards FSS bldg with a fence running in front of the bldg. The airplane had some tendency to respond to steering and brakes but very little at all. The 10K wind now on the tail was now assisting the movement of the plane on the surface along with 2 engine idle thrust. When it became obvious the airplane was going to contact the fence at some point I started to use left engine power to try and turn it away on snow and ice surface. Just before coming up on fence airplane began to respond to left engine and turn at a slow rate but not soon enough. Left leading edge made contact with fence post at point where height changed from approximately 3-4' to about 6'. Airplane pulled to the left and stopped. Contributing factors: ice-snow surface, two engine idle thrust, with 10K tailwind assist while brakes and steering were mostly nil. Decision: I used power as last resort while hesitant to increase any thrust for reason of preventing left engine from striking fence. I was well rested and knew of conditions and was at my best to exercise extreme caution but all factors all up against airplane positive control. I recommend that airplane operators taxi into wind when planning to turn and stop for parking if at all possible. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter indicates that FAA is pursuing enforcement action. Estimate of aircraft damage is $17,000.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT STRIKES FENCE WHILE TAXIING ON ICY APRON.

Narrative: LANDED ON RWY 18. WIND WAS APPROX 110 DEG 10 KTS. APPROVAL WAS RECEIVED FROM ATC TO 180 ON RWY 18 AND TURN LEFT ONTO TXWY AND RAMP AREA. RWY HAD SPOTS OF SNOW BUT TAXI AND RAMP COVERED WITH ICE AND SNOW ON TOP OF THE ICE. I WAS USING EXTREME CAUTION ESPECIALLY AFTER ATC ISSUED AN ADVISORY ON SURFACE CONDITIONS. WHEN I BEGAN TURN AIRPLANE CONTINUED STRAIGHT AHEAD. AIRPLANE BROKE TRACTION ON THE SURFACE AND BRAKES AND STEERING WERE NOT EFFECTIVE. AIRPLANE WAS TRACKING MOSTLY STRAIGHT AHEAD TOWARDS FSS BLDG WITH A FENCE RUNNING IN FRONT OF THE BLDG. THE AIRPLANE HAD SOME TENDENCY TO RESPOND TO STEERING AND BRAKES BUT VERY LITTLE AT ALL. THE 10K WIND NOW ON THE TAIL WAS NOW ASSISTING THE MOVEMENT OF THE PLANE ON THE SURFACE ALONG WITH 2 ENGINE IDLE THRUST. WHEN IT BECAME OBVIOUS THE AIRPLANE WAS GOING TO CONTACT THE FENCE AT SOME POINT I STARTED TO USE LEFT ENGINE POWER TO TRY AND TURN IT AWAY ON SNOW AND ICE SURFACE. JUST BEFORE COMING UP ON FENCE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO RESPOND TO LEFT ENGINE AND TURN AT A SLOW RATE BUT NOT SOON ENOUGH. LEFT LEADING EDGE MADE CONTACT WITH FENCE POST AT POINT WHERE HEIGHT CHANGED FROM APPROX 3-4' TO ABOUT 6'. AIRPLANE PULLED TO THE LEFT AND STOPPED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: ICE-SNOW SURFACE, TWO ENGINE IDLE THRUST, WITH 10K TAILWIND ASSIST WHILE BRAKES AND STEERING WERE MOSTLY NIL. DECISION: I USED POWER AS LAST RESORT WHILE HESITANT TO INCREASE ANY THRUST FOR REASON OF PREVENTING LEFT ENGINE FROM STRIKING FENCE. I WAS WELL RESTED AND KNEW OF CONDITIONS AND WAS AT MY BEST TO EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION BUT ALL FACTORS ALL UP AGAINST AIRPLANE POSITIVE CONTROL. I RECOMMEND THAT AIRPLANE OPERATORS TAXI INTO WIND WHEN PLANNING TO TURN AND STOP FOR PARKING IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: REPORTER INDICATES THAT FAA IS PURSUING ENFORCEMENT ACTION. ESTIMATE OF ACFT DAMAGE IS $17,000.

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.