ASRS REPORT: 80263

Synopsis

PIC COMMAND AUTHORITY PRESSURED WHEN TKOF DELAYED BECAUSE OF RWY CONDITIONS.

Assessment

Anomaly Information

Location Information

Environmental Information

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

PERSON INFORMATION

Narrative

THIS RPT MAY BE UNUSUAL BECAUSE IT DOES NOT INVOLVE A PROB WITH A PLT BUT WITH THE CONDITIONS WE SOMETIMES WORK UNDER. SITUATION: COLD WINTER NIGHT AT A MAJOR U.S. ARPT IN THE NE. WET SNOW ON ALL SURFACES AND BRAKING ACTION RPTS ARE POOR. HEAVY SNOWFALL AT DEP TIME. CAPT HAS 150 HRS IN LEFT SEAT AND F/O HAS 180 HRS IN THIS AIRPLANE IN RIGHT SEAT. THIS AIRPLANE IS CRITICAL IN ICING CONDITIONS AND HAS ENGS THAT ARE VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO FOD. PRIMARY RWY IS CLOSED FOR DEICING AND ANOTHER OPENED FOR USE USING INTXN TKOFS. NOT GOOD. I DECIDE TO DELAY DEP UNTIL I GET A GOOD RWY FOR TKOF. ALL IS WELL UNTIL OTHER FLTS LAND AND DEPART. AFTER 2 1/2 HRS DELAY WITH NO IMPROVEMENT IN RWY CONDITIONS, PAX ARE DEPLANED. IN AN EFFORT TO BETTER ASSESS CONDITIONS THE F/O AND I GO ON THE RWY WITH ARPT AUTHORITIES TO TAKE BRAKING ACTION READINGS (TAPELY SYS). AS EXPECTED THE RWY IS VERY SLIPPERY AT THE ENDS AND FAIR-TO-GOOD IN THE CENTER (IN THE RUTS MADE BY OTHER AIRPLANES). STILL NO GOOD. AFTER 4 1/2 HR DELAY AND 2 DEICING THE PRIMARY RWY IS CLR AND BRAKING ACTION GOOD. THAT IS WHEN WE TOOK OFF. MY COMPANY NOW WANTS TO BUST ME BACK TO F/O BECAUSE, "WE CAN'T HAVE 1000 CAPTS, EACH WITH HIS OWN SET OF STANDARDS." APPARENTLY IF THE "OTHER GUYS" MADE IT, I WOULD HAVE TOO. THIS IS TAKING THE RIGHT OF A CAPT TO MAKE A DECISION BASED ON SAFETY AWAY. THIS IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF MY COMPANY, MY CAREER, MY PAX AND THE AIR TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY. MY REASON FOR SUBMITTING THIS RPT IS TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS PRESSURE, SOMETIMES OVERWHELMING PRESSURE, TO KEEP SCHEDULES INTACT. MY HOPE IS THAT I CAN MAKE THIS TYPE OF DECISION IN THE FUTURE, AS UNPOPULAR AS IT MAY BE, W/O LETTING THAT PRESSURE INFLUENCE ME IN ANY WAY AND W/O FEAR OF RETRIBUTION.

Narrative

END REPORT