Flight crew reported almost having a runway excursion due to a runway that was possibly contaminated with ice.
Synopsis
Flight crew reported almost having a runway excursion due to a runway that was possibly contaminated with ice.
Narrative
The airport had a steady light drizzle that had accumulated on the surfaces. After deicing and anti-icing we taxied to the runway with no issues in directional control. We observed the ice sweepers sweep and treat the runway while we were being deiced (about 15-20 minutes prior). We also observed other aircraft landing on the runway with no issues. We taxied onto the runway and as I turned to line up with the centerline; the aircraft did not turn; it just kept traveling in a straight line. I kept the tiller turned and applied full brakes and we stopped short of the runway edge. We gained traction near the edge and turned back toward the center of the runway. We had the ice sweeping personnel come look if there was evidence that there was a runway excursion or contact with runway lights. No evidence was found. We waited on the runway centerline while the runway and taxiways were cleared of ice and then taxied back to the gate to refuel; as our holdover time had expired and we needed to be deiced and anti-iced again. As we were waiting; we heard that another aircraft lost directional control while taking the other runway.The cause of this event was the rapidly changing runway conditions.To avoid this incident again; I would pay more attention to the surface conditions during operations in light freezing rain. If ice is possible; line up with runway with a less sharp angle than used in normal operations.
Second reporter narrative
It was a normal winter operation; cold temperatures (-2 C) with -FZRA. The ground snowplows and sweepers were making their way all the way around the airport. We were deiced and anti-iced. While we were in the Ice Pad; Tower just reported the runway we planned on using opened up and was just brushed and cleaned with chemicals sprayed on it as well. 20 or so minutes later we taxied out to the runway following traffic ahead of us. We did our engine runups. After receiving clearance from Tower to take off; the Captain began to taxi on the runway and line us up for the takeoff. The Captain began to try and turn us to align with the centerline; but we did not turn. We just kept going straight. While applying max braking and max tiller turning for the lineup; we eventually came to a stop short of going off the runway. We advised Tower of what had happened and we 'aborted' our takeoff and stayed in out spot on the runway. We had the ice sweeping personnel come out and make sure we did not go off of the runway at all or hit any lights or cause any damage. We did not. We then waited on the runway for the ice sweeping personnel to clear us a path back the gate uneventfully because now at this point we had to get more fuel for takeoff. Just after this happened to us; another plane on the other parallel runway had the exact same scenario.The cause of the event was rapidly changing runway conditions.To avoid this; I would pay more attention to how quickly the conditions of a runway can change even with light ice.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.