Reporter cites lack of treatment and plowing of the departure end of runway 27L at phl.

Attributes
ACN	261474
Time
Date	199401
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	261474
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	oversight : airport manager
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Several days since any measurable snowfall at phl, chemical and some sand had been applied. Runway 27L used for departures. First 6000 ft dry and clear 50 ft either side of centerline due to numerous departures. But the last 4000 ft was snow-covered over ice. No attempt had been made to even scrape the loose snow off it. No mention of mumeter readings or braking action on any ATIS field condition report. No plows anywhere in action despite some loose accumulations that could have been removed despite very cold temperatures. I have extensive experience in midwest snow and cold winter operations. In my opinion the conditions could have been much better if correctly and promptly treated by phl airport operations equipment and personnel. I believe this is the beginning evidence of airports sacrificing safety by cutting back on snowplow operation and chemical treatment expense due to budget problems. I feel we will see more and more of this in the future. A number of mild winters has masked the situation until now.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CITES LACK OF TREATMENT AND PLOWING OF THE DEP END OF RWY 27L AT PHL.

Narrative: SEVERAL DAYS SINCE ANY MEASURABLE SNOWFALL AT PHL, CHEMICAL AND SOME SAND HAD BEEN APPLIED. RWY 27L USED FOR DEPS. FIRST 6000 FT DRY AND CLR 50 FT EITHER SIDE OF CTRLINE DUE TO NUMEROUS DEPS. BUT THE LAST 4000 FT WAS SNOW-COVERED OVER ICE. NO ATTEMPT HAD BEEN MADE TO EVEN SCRAPE THE LOOSE SNOW OFF IT. NO MENTION OF MUMETER READINGS OR BRAKING ACTION ON ANY ATIS FIELD CONDITION RPT. NO PLOWS ANYWHERE IN ACTION DESPITE SOME LOOSE ACCUMULATIONS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN REMOVED DESPITE VERY COLD TEMPS. I HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN MIDWEST SNOW AND COLD WINTER OPS. IN MY OPINION THE CONDITIONS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER IF CORRECTLY AND PROMPTLY TREATED BY PHL ARPT OPS EQUIP AND PERSONNEL. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE BEGINNING EVIDENCE OF ARPTS SACRIFICING SAFETY BY CUTTING BACK ON SNOWPLOW OP AND CHEMICAL TREATMENT EXPENSE DUE TO BUDGET PROBS. I FEEL WE WILL SEE MORE AND MORE OF THIS IN THE FUTURE. A NUMBER OF MILD WINTERS HAS MASKED THE SIT UNTIL NOW.

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.