Narrative:

Received inaccurate information by this station of the surface condition of the active runway. Information was given in percentages of runway covered in snow/ice which tells me nothing in regards to thickness and specific location of moisture. Information was not current. Attempts to get accurate information were futile. I got a distinct impression that nobody at this airport really cared about providing information on the runway so I could decide how to compute my takeoff data to maintain a safe operation. I went with conservative data and had to remove cargo to remain within weight restr for the takeoff. Launched out of same station next morning. Reports of 1/2 ice on runway were erroneous, as the active runway was clear and dry.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A SUPER MD80 COMPLAINT OF NOT BEING ABLE TO OBTAIN SUFFICIENT RWY CONDITION INFO TO CALCULATE TKOF DATA AND THE LACK OF STANDARD RWY CONDITION RPTS FROM ARPTS.

Narrative: RECEIVED INACCURATE INFO BY THIS STATION OF THE SURFACE CONDITION OF THE ACTIVE RWY. INFO WAS GIVEN IN PERCENTAGES OF RWY COVERED IN SNOW/ICE WHICH TELLS ME NOTHING IN REGARDS TO THICKNESS AND SPECIFIC LOCATION OF MOISTURE. INFO WAS NOT CURRENT. ATTEMPTS TO GET ACCURATE INFO WERE FUTILE. I GOT A DISTINCT IMPRESSION THAT NOBODY AT THIS ARPT REALLY CARED ABOUT PROVIDING INFO ON THE RWY SO I COULD DECIDE HOW TO COMPUTE MY TKOF DATA TO MAINTAIN A SAFE OP. I WENT WITH CONSERVATIVE DATA AND HAD TO REMOVE CARGO TO REMAIN WITHIN WT RESTR FOR THE TKOF. LAUNCHED OUT OF SAME STATION NEXT MORNING. RPTS OF 1/2 ICE ON RWY WERE ERRONEOUS, AS THE ACTIVE RWY WAS CLR AND DRY.

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.