Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control
Aircraft; Airport; Procedure; Weather
We noted and briefed that all taxiways except C were closed. After landing; we were given taxi instructions; 'Taxi to the ramp via Alpha; Charlie; Juliet; cross Runway XY.' There was snow and slush on the ground around the airport and it was near freezing; so I was going very slowly when I turned off the runway. We turned onto taxiway A and I could immediately see that the taxiway was icy. I continued to slow and could tell that the airplane was sliding a bit. I brought the airplane to a stop on A with the intent of notifying ATC and getting ground vehicles to somehow assist us by further clearing the taxiway. Just after the airplane came to a complete stop; the nose of the aircraft started sliding to the left even though I had the brakes fully applied. While we were rotating; I tried using the thrust reversers to stop the rotation; but I used both rather than using differential reverse thrust. It had no effect of course. I was desperate to keep the airplane on the taxiway.The wind was very strong from the south (close to a direct crosswind) and reported as gusting to 39 knots. Apparently; because the airplane was very light as it was empty; the wind was weathervaning the airplane. The aircraft rotated almost 90 degree and then came to a very abrupt stop. I thought that we had gone off of the edge of the taxiway. We coordinated with ground control and they sent fire and rescue out. They inspected the nose of the airplane and they told us that we were at least six feet from the edge of the taxiway. The only explanation I could think of at the time was that the nose gear came to a stop when it impacted the frozen slush on the edge of the taxiway.I called Operations and explained the situation. They said they would contact Dispatch Control; but that I should contact Maintenance Control because we should get the aircraft inspected for damage. Maintenance Control asked for pictures. When I was on the taxiway taking the pictures; I discovered that the slush on the side of the taxiway was very wet and wouldn't have caused the airplane to stop rotating. My First Officer reasoned that one of the wheels hit a dry spot and stopped the rotation. While on the taxiway; I also discovered that Taxiway A was nearly 100% covered with water on top of ice. Taxiway C was just wet. This led me to believe that the nose wheel slid off the ice and onto the merely wet surface. Because the nose wheel was sliding sideways; when it hit the higher friction wet surface; it stopped the airplane from rotating. Eventually; contract maintenance showed up and inspected the airplane. They found no damage. The taxiway was not adequately cleared of ice before operations were allows on the surface. Airport operations should verify that the surface is clear of contaminants (ice) before allowing aircraft to use the taxiway.
The weather at the airport upon landing was strong; gusty winds with light rain; mist; overcast clouds; and a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius. The cause of this event was slick pavement on a taxiway due to ice/slush; resulting in absolutely zero braking action for the aircraft. The taxiway had just recently been reopened after snow removal crews had said they had cleared the surface.
CRJ-200 Captain; stopped on an icy taxiway; was unable to prevent the aircraft from weathervaning in high wind conditions. Nose gear came to a stop approximately six feet off the taxiway with no damage.