Commuter light transport lands in 4 inches of snow with blowing snow.

Attributes
ACN	234972
Time
Date	199302
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lns
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	234972
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

During a snow shower we were handed off from harrisburg approach to lancaster tower. While on a short final we were advised by the tower the runway was covered with 4 inches of 'dry blowing snow.' a normal landing was made by the captain. It was my feeling that we should have waited for the runway to be plowed/cleared or used an alternate airport. No problems came from this operation, but I feel that because I am a fairly new first officer and my captain is a company check airman I was a little apprehensive about voicing my concern. I feel that if the tower had advised us of the runway conditions sooner we would have had additional time to discuss the situation and perhaps take an alternative action. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he talked to the captain who stated it probably was not the best decision to make but felt sort of committed at that late point. Reporter searched through company manual to see if any limitations on runway clutter. Found only contaminated limits for takeoff of 2 inches. Sent report to chief pilot and apparently some revisions will be made in company manual.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT LANDS IN 4 INCHES OF SNOW WITH BLOWING SNOW.

Narrative: DURING A SNOW SHOWER WE WERE HANDED OFF FROM HARRISBURG APCH TO LANCASTER TWR. WHILE ON A SHORT FINAL WE WERE ADVISED BY THE TWR THE RWY WAS COVERED WITH 4 INCHES OF 'DRY BLOWING SNOW.' A NORMAL LNDG WAS MADE BY THE CAPT. IT WAS MY FEELING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE WAITED FOR THE RWY TO BE PLOWED/CLRED OR USED AN ALTERNATE ARPT. NO PROBS CAME FROM THIS OP, BUT I FEEL THAT BECAUSE I AM A FAIRLY NEW FO AND MY CAPT IS A COMPANY CHK AIRMAN I WAS A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE ABOUT VOICING MY CONCERN. I FEEL THAT IF THE TWR HAD ADVISED US OF THE RWY CONDITIONS SOONER WE WOULD HAVE HAD ADDITIONAL TIME TO DISCUSS THE SIT AND PERHAPS TAKE AN ALTERNATIVE ACTION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE TALKED TO THE CAPT WHO STATED IT PROBABLY WAS NOT THE BEST DECISION TO MAKE BUT FELT SORT OF COMMITTED AT THAT LATE POINT. RPTR SEARCHED THROUGH COMPANY MANUAL TO SEE IF ANY LIMITATIONS ON RWY CLUTTER. FOUND ONLY CONTAMINATED LIMITS FOR TKOF OF 2 INCHES. SENT RPT TO CHIEF PLT AND APPARENTLY SOME REVISIONS WILL BE MADE IN COMPANY MANUAL.

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.