Pilot of small transport freighter landing on snowy runway with gusting xwinds drifted off runway, r...

Attributes
ACN	196104
Time
Date	199112
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eri
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : syr
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 2400
ASRS Report	196104
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

My cabin heater failed 1.5 hours before eri and cabin temperature was -20 degrees C during that time and I had trouble feeling my ft and hands. On final at erie braking action was reported as poor and winds gusting to 30 KTS. The aircraft was experiencing moderate turbulence from 3000 ft to touchdown. On landing aircraft was going straight down runway and all wheels were on the runway (runway conditions: 1/2 inch of fresh snow and ice but center 30 ft was sanded). The aircraft was struck by a gust of wind and caused to WX vane into wind and the aircraft started to skid sideways off the runway. I tried to use differential power to straighten, but the aircraft was heading for the runway lights. I didn't want the gear to get side load if it went off the runway so I straightened out the aircraft nose in the direction it was skidding. I regained control and went off the runway into about 6 inches of snow on the grass side of the runway and missed the runway lights and was able to get back on the runway without any damage to aircraft or the runway lights. I was later told by the tower and ground personnel I did a great job in regaining control and avoiding any damage.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMT FREIGHTER LNDG ON SNOWY RWY WITH GUSTING XWINDS DRIFTED OFF RWY, REGAINED CTL AND REGAINED RWY WITHOUT BREAKING LIGHTS OR DAMAGING ACFT.

Narrative: MY CABIN HEATER FAILED 1.5 HRS BEFORE ERI AND CABIN TEMP WAS -20 DEGS C DURING THAT TIME AND I HAD TROUBLE FEELING MY FT AND HANDS. ON FINAL AT ERIE BRAKING ACTION WAS RPTED AS POOR AND WINDS GUSTING TO 30 KTS. THE ACFT WAS EXPERIENCING MODERATE TURB FROM 3000 FT TO TOUCHDOWN. ON LNDG ACFT WAS GOING STRAIGHT DOWN RWY AND ALL WHEELS WERE ON THE RWY (RWY CONDITIONS: 1/2 INCH OF FRESH SNOW AND ICE BUT CENTER 30 FT WAS SANDED). THE ACFT WAS STRUCK BY A GUST OF WIND AND CAUSED TO WX VANE INTO WIND AND THE ACFT STARTED TO SKID SIDEWAYS OFF THE RWY. I TRIED TO USE DIFFERENTIAL PWR TO STRAIGHTEN, BUT THE ACFT WAS HDG FOR THE RWY LIGHTS. I DIDN'T WANT THE GEAR TO GET SIDE LOAD IF IT WENT OFF THE RWY SO I STRAIGHTENED OUT THE ACFT NOSE IN THE DIRECTION IT WAS SKIDDING. I REGAINED CTL AND WENT OFF THE RWY INTO ABOUT 6 INCHES OF SNOW ON THE GRASS SIDE OF THE RWY AND MISSED THE RWY LIGHTS AND WAS ABLE TO GET BACK ON THE RWY WITHOUT ANY DAMAGE TO ACFT OR THE RWY LIGHTS. I WAS LATER TOLD BY THE TWR AND GND PERSONNEL I DID A GREAT JOB IN REGAINING CTL AND AVOIDING ANY DAMAGE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Pilot of small transport freighter landing on snowy runway with gusting xwinds drifted off runway, regained control and regained runway without breaking lights or damaging aircraft.