Narrative:

I was a first officer on an large transport landing on runway 4R at chicago O'hare. After landing we turned off at a highspd taxiway and were told to hold short of runway 9R. Because of snow covering the ground, runways, taxiways and centerline markings were extremely hard to see. While attempting to hold short of the runway the slick conditions made it impossible to stop before crossing runway 9R. When this became apparent we advised tower and continued to cross because we thought this was the safest course of action. I think the major cause of this problem was the snow covering the runways and taxiways making stopping and orientation difficult. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states they probably could have stopped but would have been in middle of runway. Deemed it safer to continue on across and out of way of other traffic. Feels they were unable to determine where runway was in the short distance from high speed taxiway with snow covering markings and signs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CROSSES RWY WHEN TOLD TO HOLD SHORT. SNOW, SLICK SURFACE NOT ABLE TO STOP.

Narrative: I WAS A FO ON AN LGT LNDG ON RWY 4R AT CHICAGO O'HARE. AFTER LNDG WE TURNED OFF AT A HIGHSPD TAXIWAY AND WERE TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 9R. BECAUSE OF SNOW COVERING THE GND, RWYS, TAXIWAYS AND CTRLINE MARKINGS WERE EXTREMELY HARD TO SEE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO HOLD SHORT OF THE RWY THE SLICK CONDITIONS MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP BEFORE XING RWY 9R. WHEN THIS BECAME APPARENT WE ADVISED TWR AND CONTINUED TO CROSS BECAUSE WE THOUGHT THIS WAS THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION. I THINK THE MAJOR CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM WAS THE SNOW COVERING THE RWYS AND TAXIWAYS MAKING STOPPING AND ORIENTATION DIFFICULT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THEY PROBABLY COULD HAVE STOPPED BUT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN MIDDLE OF RWY. DEEMED IT SAFER TO CONTINUE ON ACROSS AND OUT OF WAY OF OTHER TFC. FEELS THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHERE RWY WAS IN THE SHORT DISTANCE FROM HIGH SPD TAXIWAY WITH SNOW COVERING MARKINGS AND SIGNS.

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