Narrative:

Arrived stl runway 10 conditions -- last 2/3 runway hard pack snow and ice, braking action reported poor. Actual braking action fair to poor. Off and on load passenger. #2 in line for takeoff at XA40. We switched to tower and heard flight, air carrier operator, being cleared for takeoff. We were cleared into position and hold. We heard an aircraft say that runway braking was nil from juliet to echo. Tower cleared us for takeoff and issued no braking report. We had a normal takeoff and proceeded to cle. The return from cle to stl was delayed due to runway closure in stl because the braking action was reported as nil. Now the question? Did I take off illegally? Is a PIREP braking action report an actual report or is it only a valid report when issued by ATC? Had we switched up tower sooner we may have had the benefit of hearing all xmissions involved. Though our crew felt the nil report inaccurate, that does not resolve our question. When is a report an official report? In the future, an inquiry or two would clarify any questions. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that he felt uncomfortable with his decision to takeoff even though it went alright. He was informed that he could use the previous pilot's report, who landed just ahead and make a decision based on it as complying with his company's operation procedures manual. As PIC he can use the information to cancel the takeoff. He remarked that the airport was closed shortly after his departure and caused him a 1 hour gate hold at his destination before returning to this airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF ACR MLG ACFT TKOF WITHOUT SUFFICIENT RWY LENGTH FOR THE OP CONDUCTED DUE TO PLT RPTED BRAKING ACTION AS 'NIL.'

Narrative: ARRIVED STL RWY 10 CONDITIONS -- LAST 2/3 RWY HARD PACK SNOW AND ICE, BRAKING ACTION RPTED POOR. ACTUAL BRAKING ACTION FAIR TO POOR. OFF AND ON LOAD PAX. #2 IN LINE FOR TKOF AT XA40. WE SWITCHED TO TWR AND HEARD FLT, ACR OPERATOR, BEING CLRED FOR TKOF. WE WERE CLRED INTO POS AND HOLD. WE HEARD AN ACFT SAY THAT RWY BRAKING WAS NIL FROM JULIET TO ECHO. TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF AND ISSUED NO BRAKING RPT. WE HAD A NORMAL TKOF AND PROCEEDED TO CLE. THE RETURN FROM CLE TO STL WAS DELAYED DUE TO RWY CLOSURE IN STL BECAUSE THE BRAKING ACTION WAS RPTED AS NIL. NOW THE QUESTION? DID I TAKE OFF ILLEGALLY? IS A PIREP BRAKING ACTION RPT AN ACTUAL RPT OR IS IT ONLY A VALID RPT WHEN ISSUED BY ATC? HAD WE SWITCHED UP TWR SOONER WE MAY HAVE HAD THE BENEFIT OF HEARING ALL XMISSIONS INVOLVED. THOUGH OUR CREW FELT THE NIL RPT INACCURATE, THAT DOES NOT RESOLVE OUR QUESTION. WHEN IS A RPT AN OFFICIAL RPT? IN THE FUTURE, AN INQUIRY OR TWO WOULD CLARIFY ANY QUESTIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT HE FELT UNCOMFORTABLE WITH HIS DECISION TO TKOF EVEN THOUGH IT WENT ALRIGHT. HE WAS INFORMED THAT HE COULD USE THE PREVIOUS PLT'S RPT, WHO LANDED JUST AHEAD AND MAKE A DECISION BASED ON IT AS COMPLYING WITH HIS COMPANY'S OP PROCS MANUAL. AS PIC HE CAN USE THE INFO TO CANCEL THE TKOF. HE REMARKED THAT THE ARPT WAS CLOSED SHORTLY AFTER HIS DEP AND CAUSED HIM A 1 HR GATE HOLD AT HIS DEST BEFORE RETURNING TO THIS ARPT.

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.