Poor braking action on ramp, slow taxi, aircraft WX-vanes when turning for runup.

Attributes
ACN	262951
Time
Date	199402
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : otz
State Reference	AK
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 135
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 340 flight time total : 12330 flight time type : 1875
ASRS Report	262951
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was taxiing for takeoff on a day when the wind was about 25 KT gusting 35 pretty much down the runway. Runway braking action was fair or good, but ramp braking action was poor. We were taxiing on the ramp slower than normal because of the conditions, but while halfway through a turn from downwind to upwind for a runup, the wind WX- vaned us around the rest of the way. I had taxied so as to be well clear of buildings and aircraft and we were in no danger of sliding off the ramp, but a FSDO inspector who observed this deemed it a reckless operation. To prevent this from occurring again, I'll cancel operations when winds and braking action suggest a possibility of sliding on the ramps, txwys, or runways.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POOR BRAKING ACTION ON RAMP, SLOW TAXI, ACFT WX-VANES WHEN TURNING FOR RUNUP.

Narrative: I WAS TAXIING FOR TKOF ON A DAY WHEN THE WIND WAS ABOUT 25 KT GUSTING 35 PRETTY MUCH DOWN THE RWY. RWY BRAKING ACTION WAS FAIR OR GOOD, BUT RAMP BRAKING ACTION WAS POOR. WE WERE TAXIING ON THE RAMP SLOWER THAN NORMAL BECAUSE OF THE CONDITIONS, BUT WHILE HALFWAY THROUGH A TURN FROM DOWNWIND TO UPWIND FOR A RUNUP, THE WIND WX- VANED US AROUND THE REST OF THE WAY. I HAD TAXIED SO AS TO BE WELL CLR OF BUILDINGS AND ACFT AND WE WERE IN NO DANGER OF SLIDING OFF THE RAMP, BUT A FSDO INSPECTOR WHO OBSERVED THIS DEEMED IT A RECKLESS OP. TO PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING AGAIN, I'LL CANCEL OPS WHEN WINDS AND BRAKING ACTION SUGGEST A POSSIBILITY OF SLIDING ON THE RAMPS, TXWYS, OR RWYS.

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.