Date: 201309
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: ZZZ.TRACON, US
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Regional Jet 900 (CRJ900)
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Climb
Airspace: Class B ZZZ
ATC / advisory: TRACON ZZZ; Tower ZZZ
Aircraft component: Nosewheel Steering
Component problem: Failed
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Not Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Other / Unknown; Situational Awareness
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Automation Aircraft Other Automation; Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; General Declared Emergency
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Human Factors
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: After liftoff we received a STEERING INOP caution message.  At a safe altitude I read the QRH including the notes that said to 'select the longest runway available.'  After a brief discussion we opted to continue to our destination.  Knowing that we would be assigned 9;000 foot XXR; we decided that we would have to request a longer runway.  XYL is the normal landing runway but the shorter of the two.  Given our concern that we might not be able to make the 90 degree turnoffs from XYR; we opted for the slightly shorter XYL with high speed turnoffs even though it wasn't the 'longest runway available.'  We did not declare an emergency or brief the flight attendants or passengers.  The Captain had experienced this message before and still had steering available.  We decided to take precautions and prepare for it not to work; but not to get ATC or the cabin involved.  Upon requesting the south complex on check in with Approach; they asked the reason and after being told that we had a 'STEERING INOP caution and our procedures required the longer runway' they declared an emergency for us.  Checking in with Tower resulted in a private Tower frequency and ARFF equipment following us down the runway.  On rollout we tried the steering to discover that it was indeed INOP. Utilizing the high speed; the Captain was able to turn off the runway and make shallow turns to clear the second runway.  On the taxi we were unable to negotiate a turn and had to park and wait for a tug.  The Captain made an announcement to the passengers after we had a tug on the way to let them know why the equipment was surrounding us. The root cause was the STEERING INOP message and the Captain's belief that it was a nuisance message.  Using the shorter XYL vs. XYR was a prudent exception to the 'longest runway available' requirement due to the availability of the high speed turnoffs.  Flight attendants were not briefed due to the belief that this was a non-event. The failure to brief the flight attendants or the passengers was due to the fact that we didn't believe that this event warranted it however had we known that ATC would declare an emergency for us or the reception with the emergency equipment it might have been prudent to avoid any serious concerns after landing.




Synopsis: CRJ-900 First Officer experiences a STEERING INOP caution message just after takeoff and is informed by the Captain that it is likely a nuisance alert. The crew continues to destination and elects to not declare an emergency or brief the flight attendants and passengers. An emergency is declared for the crew by ATC when a longer runway is requested and the reason for the request provided. During roll out it is discovered that the steering is truly inoperative and a tow to the gate is required.