Medium Large Transport
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors
We decided to fly the ILS to runway 25 in BJI. We chose that runway because the ILS to 25 did not require me to hand fly any portion of the approach. With 31 I would have required me to fly the approach on the last 1;000 feet. We did this to reduce work load. At about 500 AGL the airport operations called us on the radio and said that he had not done any preparation to runway 25. He had anticipated us using 31 and had spent all of his time working on that runway. We continued the approach with that information in mind. I was expecting to see snow and we could see black pavement. We assumed that the runway was fine. After landing there was not any notable problems to the runway. I stowed the thrust reverser's and began to apply the brakes. There was not any braking action. I re-applied the thrust reverser's to stop the airplane. The braking was nil. We got the airplane stopped and slowly taxied to the terminal. After arriving in the hotel I called dispatch to ask what information they had on braking action on the runways in BJI. They said they received reports that the report indicated fair to poor [earlier]. If that was the time [they received report from their location in the mountain west region] then they received the report while we were enroute. I looked at the braking action report the next morning and there was only a braking action report for runway 31/13. Knowing that; I believe that runway 25 based on the conditions should have been notamed closed. This would have shown up on the release and center would have told us that it was closed when we asked for the ILS to 25. This would have re-directed us to runway 31 where the operations truck was expecting us and had done all the work. We did not receive any braking action reports from dispatch. When we called in range we did not receive any braking action reports from operations. The first indication that there might have been a problem was when we were about to land. The report from the operations truck working on the runway was not clear as to the threat. There were not any notams in our release stating runway conditions. There was one notam but I cannot remember what it was anymore. According to the dispatcher there is a problem with them receiving braking action reports. They receive them as faxes. They then go in a file. If that is true that information is not available at the time the release is generated; especially with time zone changes. It would have been helpful to receive the report from operations when we called in range. It would have also been helpful if the operations truck driver that was working on the runway would have stated that he was treating the runway for ice. I feel that there were several opportunities to get us information that were missed. The dispatcher said that because they receive these reports via fax they don't get the same attention as if they were reported to the FAA and came out as notams.
Captain was the pilot flying and decided to land on 25; NOTAM indicated airport surfaces fair to poor. This was decided because the autopilot could fly approach to minimums and I thought it was acceptable while in the poor weather conditions to reduce pilot workload. Within 500 AGL airport ops made a radio call (the first of which we heard from them) and asked if it was too late for us to land on 31. The captain said he would continue to land on 25; I relayed the message. Immediately airport ops told us 25 had not been sanded and he did not get work on 25. I queried the captain by saying 'Are you sure you want 25?' Captain again said we would land on 25. While becoming very close to 25 we could see there was no snow cover and felt it was acceptable to use 25. On roll out the captain indicated he had ZERO braking; he applied full reverse thrust and we came to a stop at a 45 degree angle mid runway with the wing over the runway end identifier lights. The runway conditions were not properly reported to us. Had airport ops told us 25 was completely covered in black ice (the kind you don't see); or the braking is nil; we would not for a second consider landing on it. Taking airport operations advice and landing the runway which had been prepared for us by use of sand.
Medium size jet flight crew reported landing at BJI runway 25 with braking action nil. Crew was apparently never notified of the braking action.