Air carrier mdt gets stuck in the snow when turning off runway onto a closed taxiway. Snow storm had obscured all runway and taxiway signs plus taxiway lines. Runway 6 closed for over 2 hours.

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Attributes
ACN	362740
Time
Date	199703
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ymx
State Reference	PQ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : roc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 2550 flight time type : 275
ASRS Report	362740
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 6200 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	362725
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

We landed on runway 6 in montreal, canada (ymx). After landing in blowing snow (25-35 KTS) we were having difficulty seeing the taxiway due to snow drifts and blowing snow. We turned onto what we believed to be taxiway B3, but which was in fact taxiway B1. Sight of the centerline was lost after traveling approximately 25 ft. We immediately stopped taxiing the aircraft but we were already stuck in a snow drift. ATC was informed of the situation. They sent a tug and snow plow which failed to free the aircraft because the tow bar broke. The aircraft was dug out and we taxied off the runway but this did result in the airport having to be shut down for a brief period. Supplemental information from acn 362725: the visibility was poor with blowing snow, fog, ice and snow drifts on all runways and txwys. Once we landed we were in whiteout conditions. The taxiway we were stuck on was taxiway B1 which was closed for winter. We did not know which taxiway we were turning on because of the WX conditions -- no visibility, and the lights and signs were covered in snow. No one was hurt and there was no damage to the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MDT GETS STUCK IN THE SNOW WHEN TURNING OFF RWY ONTO A CLOSED TXWY. SNOW STORM HAD OBSCURED ALL RWY AND TXWY SIGNS PLUS TXWY LINES. RWY 6 CLOSED FOR OVER 2 HRS.

Narrative: WE LANDED ON RWY 6 IN MONTREAL, CANADA (YMX). AFTER LNDG IN BLOWING SNOW (25-35 KTS) WE WERE HAVING DIFFICULTY SEEING THE TXWY DUE TO SNOW DRIFTS AND BLOWING SNOW. WE TURNED ONTO WHAT WE BELIEVED TO BE TXWY B3, BUT WHICH WAS IN FACT TXWY B1. SIGHT OF THE CTRLINE WAS LOST AFTER TRAVELING APPROX 25 FT. WE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED TAXIING THE ACFT BUT WE WERE ALREADY STUCK IN A SNOW DRIFT. ATC WAS INFORMED OF THE SIT. THEY SENT A TUG AND SNOW PLOW WHICH FAILED TO FREE THE ACFT BECAUSE THE TOW BAR BROKE. THE ACFT WAS DUG OUT AND WE TAXIED OFF THE RWY BUT THIS DID RESULT IN THE ARPT HAVING TO BE SHUT DOWN FOR A BRIEF PERIOD. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 362725: THE VISIBILITY WAS POOR WITH BLOWING SNOW, FOG, ICE AND SNOW DRIFTS ON ALL RWYS AND TXWYS. ONCE WE LANDED WE WERE IN WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. THE TXWY WE WERE STUCK ON WAS TXWY B1 WHICH WAS CLOSED FOR WINTER. WE DID NOT KNOW WHICH TXWY WE WERE TURNING ON BECAUSE OF THE WX CONDITIONS -- NO VISIBILITY, AND THE LIGHTS AND SIGNS WERE COVERED IN SNOW. NO ONE WAS HURT AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

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.