An SA227 captain reported landing in a freezing drizzle; with braking action reported as fair; to fi...

Narrative:

Virtually the entire state [was] experiencing freezing drizzle/freezing rain. Weather reported as 1 SM; ovc 200; winds 200/6; temperature -3/dewpoint -4. Center advised braking action 'fair.' flew ILS and broke out at decision altitude. [I] landed on the 1;000 ft bars at vref. [I] slowed aircraft with prop reverse through 40 KTS. Relaxed prop reverse and started applying brakes to slow to taxi speed. At this point; I had 2;000 ft to 3;000 ft of runway remaining. Got on the brakes; and quickly realized that I had zero braking action. Given a speed of 30 KTS and 2;000 ft remaining; aborting the landing was not an option. I went to full reverse on the props again and tried to add whatever deceleration that I could with the brakes. As the end got closer I realized that I was either going to barely stop on the runway or that I would overrun. To minimize damage to the aircraft and airport equipment if I did overrun; I did not even try to make the turn off at the end; but allowed the aircraft to slide straight into the grass. [I was] literally at a walking speed and missing taxi lights; localizer antenna; etc. Aircraft came to a stop with the mains approximately five feet off the end of the runway. [I] did not hit a taxi light; antenna; no prop strike. Only visible damage was to main tires; where it appeared that as the aircraft hit the dirt/grass; chunks of tread were ripped from them. Airport manager came out to meet me at the runway end. As he got out of his truck he almost fell; as we were both standing on a sheet of ice. He stated he was just about to drive the runway again after I landed; but that he was closing the airport immediately; given the then-current conditions. He mentioned that he drove the runway forty minutes prior; and reported the braking action as 'fair;' and that the conditions that I landed in had rapidly worsened since his last report.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An SA227 Captain reported landing in a freezing drizzle; with braking action reported as fair; to find braking action nil. Maximum reverse and braking was not sufficient to prevent the aircraft from going off the end of the runway at a very slow speed. No damage reported.

Narrative: Virtually the entire State [was] experiencing freezing drizzle/freezing rain. Weather reported as 1 SM; OVC 200; winds 200/6; temperature -3/dewpoint -4. Center advised braking action 'fair.' Flew ILS and broke out at decision altitude. [I] landed on the 1;000 FT bars at Vref. [I] slowed aircraft with prop reverse through 40 KTS. Relaxed prop reverse and started applying brakes to slow to taxi speed. At this point; I had 2;000 FT to 3;000 FT of runway remaining. Got on the brakes; and quickly realized that I had zero braking action. Given a speed of 30 KTS and 2;000 FT remaining; aborting the landing was not an option. I went to full reverse on the props again and tried to add whatever deceleration that I could with the brakes. As the end got closer I realized that I was either going to barely stop on the runway or that I would overrun. To minimize damage to the aircraft and airport equipment if I did overrun; I did not even try to make the turn off at the end; but allowed the aircraft to slide straight into the grass. [I was] literally at a walking speed and missing taxi lights; localizer antenna; etc. Aircraft came to a stop with the mains approximately five feet off the end of the runway. [I] did not hit a taxi light; antenna; no prop strike. Only visible damage was to main tires; where it appeared that as the aircraft hit the dirt/grass; chunks of tread were ripped from them. Airport Manager came out to meet me at the runway end. As he got out of his truck he almost fell; as we were both standing on a sheet of ice. He stated he was just about to drive the runway again after I landed; but that he was closing the airport immediately; given the then-current conditions. He mentioned that he drove the runway forty minutes prior; and reported the braking action as 'fair;' and that the conditions that I landed in had rapidly worsened since his last report.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	983932
Time
Date	201112
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	SA-227 AC Metro III
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	Landing
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 200 Flight Crew Total 3500 Flight Crew Type 300
Events
Anomaly	Ground Excursion Runway

An SA227 captain reported landing in a freezing drizzle; with braking action reported as fair; to find braking action nil. Maximum reverse and braking was not sufficient to prevent the aircraft from going off the end of the runway at a very slow speed. No damage reported.