A cpr mdt taxied off of a taxiway in unplowed snow.

Attributes
ACN	260891
Time
Date	199401
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Falcon 900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 5800 flight time type : 750
ASRS Report	260891
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

After an IFR landing at dtw on runway 3L, tower asked us to 'make the next available taxiway.' the runway was covered with packed snow and ice, so we came to a near stop. The airport had received approximately 8 inches of snow and none of the txwys had been plowed. This information was relayed to the other pilot via ATIS or company operations. Trying to accommodate tower, knowing another aircraft would soon be landing, we attempted to exit the runway at a reverse highspd taxiway that had not been used since the snow began. Several txwys converged here, producing a maze of blue taxi lights. Not being sure where the taxiway was, I started braking and told the captain (in the right seat) of my misgivings. His concern was bogging down in the deep snow and he reached over and pushed the throttles up. Although not apparent from the cockpit, we departed the taxiway onto frozen ground covered with deep snow and bogged down. The runway was closed and the aircraft diverted. If I could do it over again, I would exit the runway where the previous aircraft were exiting. At least there would be tracks to follow. If you can't clear the txwys, maybe the airport should be closed (no injuries/damage).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR MDT TAXIED OFF OF A TXWY IN UNPLOWED SNOW.

Narrative: AFTER AN IFR LNDG AT DTW ON RWY 3L, TWR ASKED US TO 'MAKE THE NEXT AVAILABLE TXWY.' THE RWY WAS COVERED WITH PACKED SNOW AND ICE, SO WE CAME TO A NEAR STOP. THE ARPT HAD RECEIVED APPROX 8 INCHES OF SNOW AND NONE OF THE TXWYS HAD BEEN PLOWED. THIS INFO WAS RELAYED TO THE OTHER PLT VIA ATIS OR COMPANY OPS. TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE TWR, KNOWING ANOTHER ACFT WOULD SOON BE LNDG, WE ATTEMPTED TO EXIT THE RWY AT A REVERSE HIGHSPD TXWY THAT HAD NOT BEEN USED SINCE THE SNOW BEGAN. SEVERAL TXWYS CONVERGED HERE, PRODUCING A MAZE OF BLUE TAXI LIGHTS. NOT BEING SURE WHERE THE TXWY WAS, I STARTED BRAKING AND TOLD THE CAPT (IN THE R SEAT) OF MY MISGIVINGS. HIS CONCERN WAS BOGGING DOWN IN THE DEEP SNOW AND HE REACHED OVER AND PUSHED THE THROTTLES UP. ALTHOUGH NOT APPARENT FROM THE COCKPIT, WE DEPARTED THE TXWY ONTO FROZEN GND COVERED WITH DEEP SNOW AND BOGGED DOWN. THE RWY WAS CLOSED AND THE ACFT DIVERTED. IF I COULD DO IT OVER AGAIN, I WOULD EXIT THE RWY WHERE THE PREVIOUS ACFT WERE EXITING. AT LEAST THERE WOULD BE TRACKS TO FOLLOW. IF YOU CAN'T CLR THE TXWYS, MAYBE THE ARPT SHOULD BE CLOSED (NO INJURIES/DAMAGE).

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.