Narrative:

Taxiing in to gate at the ramp at the anc airport, I experienced nosewheel skip on the initial turn into the parking gate. The taxi lane was plowed and clear but still quite slippery. The aircraft was loaded with a significantly aft center of gravity which further reduced the effectiveness of the nosewheel steering. I slowed from 7-8 KIAS ground speed (from inertial system) to approximately 3 KTS to regain traction on the nosewheels. As the turn in to parking progressed I felt the aircraft start to lose momentum. I applied power to the #1 and #3 engines so as not to stall 1/2 way through the turn. I used about 2/3 knob width (as compared to #2 throttle) power for approximately 2-3 seconds to regain momentum and complete the 90 degree turn in to the gate. After blocking in, I was informed by the mechanic that a baggage loading cart on a gate behind and offset from ours had slid on the icy ramp and contacted an antenna of an adjacent aircraft. The taxi lane on the ramp was clear as we approached our gate and I did not note any improperly placed ground equipment. I had wing walkers on either side of the aircraft as well as our marshaller in sight during the entire blocking procedure. I had no indication of any abnormal condition while blocking in. As backgnd, the ramp had snow and freezing rain the day before. The morning of our arrival the temperature was below freezing. Even though the taxi lane was plowed and clear, it became obvious that parts of the ramp were still quite icy when we exited the aircraft and walked on the ramp.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD11 MAKING 90 DEG TURN FOR PARKING BLOWS BAGGAGE CART INTO ANTENNA AT ANC IN ICY CONDITIONS.

Narrative: TAXIING IN TO GATE AT THE RAMP AT THE ANC ARPT, I EXPERIENCED NOSEWHEEL SKIP ON THE INITIAL TURN INTO THE PARKING GATE. THE TAXI LANE WAS PLOWED AND CLR BUT STILL QUITE SLIPPERY. THE ACFT WAS LOADED WITH A SIGNIFICANTLY AFT CTR OF GRAVITY WHICH FURTHER REDUCED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING. I SLOWED FROM 7-8 KIAS GND SPD (FROM INERTIAL SYS) TO APPROX 3 KTS TO REGAIN TRACTION ON THE NOSEWHEELS. AS THE TURN IN TO PARKING PROGRESSED I FELT THE ACFT START TO LOSE MOMENTUM. I APPLIED PWR TO THE #1 AND #3 ENGS SO AS NOT TO STALL 1/2 WAY THROUGH THE TURN. I USED ABOUT 2/3 KNOB WIDTH (AS COMPARED TO #2 THROTTLE) PWR FOR APPROX 2-3 SECONDS TO REGAIN MOMENTUM AND COMPLETE THE 90 DEG TURN IN TO THE GATE. AFTER BLOCKING IN, I WAS INFORMED BY THE MECH THAT A BAGGAGE LOADING CART ON A GATE BEHIND AND OFFSET FROM OURS HAD SLID ON THE ICY RAMP AND CONTACTED AN ANTENNA OF AN ADJACENT ACFT. THE TAXI LANE ON THE RAMP WAS CLR AS WE APCHED OUR GATE AND I DID NOT NOTE ANY IMPROPERLY PLACED GND EQUIP. I HAD WING WALKERS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE ACFT AS WELL AS OUR MARSHALLER IN SIGHT DURING THE ENTIRE BLOCKING PROC. I HAD NO INDICATION OF ANY ABNORMAL CONDITION WHILE BLOCKING IN. AS BACKGND, THE RAMP HAD SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN THE DAY BEFORE. THE MORNING OF OUR ARR THE TEMP WAS BELOW FREEZING. EVEN THOUGH THE TAXI LANE WAS PLOWED AND CLR, IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT PARTS OF THE RAMP WERE STILL QUITE ICY WHEN WE EXITED THE ACFT AND WALKED ON THE RAMP.

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.