FLC OF AN MLG LOST CTL OF THE ACFT WHILE STARTING THE SECOND ENG RESULTING IN EXITING THE TXWY CAUSING THE ACFT TO BECOME STRANDED.

Narrative

JAN/XX/95 APU INOP; STARTED THE #1 ENG AT THE GATE; WE PUSHED OFF THE GATE AND RAMP CTL CLRED US TO SPOT #2 AND TOLD US TO CONTACT GND CTL. GND CTL CLRED US TO TAXI TO RWY 23R HOLD SHORT OF RWY 23L. THE CAPT BEGAN TO TAXI TURNING ONTO TXWY 'J' AND CALLED FOR THE 'DELAYED ENG START' (WISHING TO START THE #2 ENG); HE INCREASED THE PWR ON THE #1 ENG TO ACHIEVE THE REQUIRED 30 PSI DUCT PRESSURE TO START THE #2 ENG. MY ATTN WAS INSIDE THE COCKPIT MONITORING THE START; WHEN THE #2 ENG; N2; REACHED 35 PERCENT RPM I RELEASED THE 'START' SWITCH AND VERIFIED AN INCREASE IN DUCT PRESSURE AND THAT THE 'START VALVE OPEN' LIGHT EXTINGUISHED THEN I CALLED START VALVE CLOSED. I MONITORED THE ENG INSTS TO INSURE THE ENG ACCELERATED TO IDLE RPM NORMALLY. WHEN I DIRECTED MY ATTN BACK OUTSIDE THE ACFT IT WAS APPARENT THE ACFT WAS ON A COURSE WHICH WOULD SHORTLY CAUSE US TO LEAVE THE TXWY. THE ACFT'S R MAIN GEAR ASSEMBLY LEFT THE TXWY AND SUNK IN THE SOD TO THE AXLE HOUSING. THE PAX WERE DEPLANED USING STAIRS; THERE WERE NO INJURIES. CAUSES: TXWY 'J' HAD JUST BEEN BRUSHED REMOVING THE DRY SNOW WHICH WOULD HAVE OFFERED SOME TRACTION; WHAT WAS LEFT WAS A LAYER OF HARD PACKED SNOW WITH A COATING OF ICE. THE TXWY HAD A CROWN WHICH SLOPED TO THE E. THE WIND DIRECTION WAS ALMOST A DIRECT XWIND; AND ALTHOUGH THE ATIS INDICATED A 13 KT WIND STEADY; THE WIND WAS GUSTING IN EXCESS OF 13 KTS. THE XBLEED START AGGRAVATED THE SIT BY CREATING A TURNING FORCE TO THE R. THIS FORCE COULD NOT BE TOTALLY COUNTERED DUE TO THE SLICK CONDITIONS.