Cargo light transport becomes lost while taxiing to ramp in snowstorm.

Attributes
ACN	261684
Time
Date	199401
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : iad
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	ATR 42
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5700
ASRS Report	261684
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After landing (during rush period) at ewr on runway 4R, we cleared and contacted ground control. All runways and txwys were covered with approximately 3 to 4 inches of snow (a storm was in progress). We (the crew) were unfamiliar with the airport and were attempting to taxi to the company cargo ramp and offload our cargo. We informed ground that we needed to taxi to company and required a progressive taxi. Ground control was extremely busy and they responded by issuing the following -- to our aircraft...follow the air carrier express ATR-42 to your left, proceed via the inner to right/B to ramp. As instructed, we followed the ATR -- and had no further calls from ground. As we followed the ATR, he made a slight left to the outer taxiway and we followed, as it was impossible to read taxi signs covered in the ice and snow. We ended up in a bad position by the de-ice pad and a stack of aircraft in line for 4R. We called ground again, and after some confusion as to our location(they couldn't see us due to low visibility) we were able to maneuver out of the way and proceed to ramp. Cause: fatigue, lack of situational awareness, lack of help by ground control, ambiguous taxi instructions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CARGO LTT BECOMES LOST WHILE TAXIING TO RAMP IN SNOWSTORM.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG (DURING RUSH PERIOD) AT EWR ON RWY 4R, WE CLRED AND CONTACTED GND CTL. ALL RWYS AND TXWYS WERE COVERED WITH APPROX 3 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW (A STORM WAS IN PROGRESS). WE (THE CREW) WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT AND WERE ATTEMPTING TO TAXI TO THE COMPANY CARGO RAMP AND OFFLOAD OUR CARGO. WE INFORMED GND THAT WE NEEDED TO TAXI TO COMPANY AND REQUIRED A PROGRESSIVE TAXI. GND CTL WAS EXTREMELY BUSY AND THEY RESPONDED BY ISSUING THE FOLLOWING -- TO OUR ACFT...FOLLOW THE ACR EXPRESS ATR-42 TO YOUR L, PROCEED VIA THE INNER TO R/B TO RAMP. AS INSTRUCTED, WE FOLLOWED THE ATR -- AND HAD NO FURTHER CALLS FROM GND. AS WE FOLLOWED THE ATR, HE MADE A SLIGHT L TO THE OUTER TXWY AND WE FOLLOWED, AS IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO READ TAXI SIGNS COVERED IN THE ICE AND SNOW. WE ENDED UP IN A BAD POS BY THE DE-ICE PAD AND A STACK OF ACFT IN LINE FOR 4R. WE CALLED GND AGAIN, AND AFTER SOME CONFUSION AS TO OUR LOCATION(THEY COULDN'T SEE US DUE TO LOW VISIBILITY) WE WERE ABLE TO MANEUVER OUT OF THE WAY AND PROCEED TO RAMP. CAUSE: FATIGUE, LACK OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, LACK OF HELP BY GND CTL, AMBIGUOUS TAXI INSTRUCTIONS.

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.