An small aircraft pilot hit a snow bank at the end of the runway and damaged one of the landing gear...

Attributes
ACN	236959
Time
Date	199303
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 44n
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cll
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	236959
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

3 aircraft were in formation at approach to airport. During landing each broke off during low approach to land in sequence. First aircraft was at departure end of runway, second was mid runway while my aircraft was on short final. With the total runway length of 3879 ft, there was sufficient distance to land. At the end of the runway, the operation of the airport had piled snow to 3-5 ft above the runway. Upon approach to land, the left main gear contacted the snow bank, cracking the main gear. The aircraft had damage to the gear door and main gear. Operators or mgrs of airports should keep snow from being piled at the end of runways. It is not visible during approach. While snow banks on the sides of the runway are expected, as a pilot, I do not expect it at the approach end.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT HIT A SNOW BANK AT THE END OF THE RWY AND DAMAGED ONE OF THE LNDG GEAR.

Narrative: 3 ACFT WERE IN FORMATION AT APCH TO ARPT. DURING LNDG EACH BROKE OFF DURING LOW APCH TO LAND IN SEQUENCE. FIRST ACFT WAS AT DEP END OF RWY, SECOND WAS MID RWY WHILE MY ACFT WAS ON SHORT FINAL. WITH THE TOTAL RWY LENGTH OF 3879 FT, THERE WAS SUFFICIENT DISTANCE TO LAND. AT THE END OF THE RWY, THE OP OF THE ARPT HAD PILED SNOW TO 3-5 FT ABOVE THE RWY. UPON APCH TO LAND, THE L MAIN GEAR CONTACTED THE SNOW BANK, CRACKING THE MAIN GEAR. THE ACFT HAD DAMAGE TO THE GEAR DOOR AND MAIN GEAR. OPERATORS OR MGRS OF ARPTS SHOULD KEEP SNOW FROM BEING PILED AT THE END OF RWYS. IT IS NOT VISIBLE DURING APCH. WHILE SNOW BANKS ON THE SIDES OF THE RWY ARE EXPECTED, AS A PLT, I DO NOT EXPECT IT AT THE APCH END.

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.