Narrative:

On dec X, 1993 approximately xa:15 (local) on the VOR runway 9 approach at gaylord, michigan. This approach was flown to MDA, and 1 1/2 mi from the airport, were I transitioned visually to landing the aircraft. 1 row of runway edge lights were clearly in sight. From my perspective, the southern edge lights were covered by snow drifts. Upon landing the aircraft decelerated, veered right and slid to a stop. The nose and left main gear was collapsed and the left propeller damaged. Contributing factors in this incident are the following: weak reception on #1 navigation equipment - navigation flag on/off up to 6 mi out (scratchy morse code). Condition of runway lights and runway. Runway was previously plowed leaving a snow ridge on the south edge of the north edge lights, obscuring pilots view looking at them from my position. Runway covered with drifting snow eliminating any outline of runway, or runway markings. My first knowledge of landing off the runway was after the incident (see diagram) up to the point of review 15 min later, I concluded I landed in snow drift on the runway. The most corrective action would be to maintain better runway snow removal at this airport. Gaylord, michigan is located in the upper part of lower michigan's snow belt. Like most smaller airports they are understaffed underfunded. A lot of these airports plow around runway lights not clearing snow buildups around the tops of runway light lenses. Thus obstructing 360 degrees illumination.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A SMA ATX ACFT LOST CTL OF THE ACFT AFTER HITTING A SNOW BANK ON THE RWY DURING A LNDG IN A SNOW STORM RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

Narrative: ON DEC X, 1993 APPROX XA:15 (LCL) ON THE VOR RWY 9 APCH AT GAYLORD, MICHIGAN. THIS APCH WAS FLOWN TO MDA, AND 1 1/2 MI FROM THE ARPT, WERE I TRANSITIONED VISUALLY TO LNDG THE ACFT. 1 ROW OF RWY EDGE LIGHTS WERE CLEARLY IN SIGHT. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE SOUTHERN EDGE LIGHTS WERE COVERED BY SNOW DRIFTS. UPON LNDG THE ACFT DECELERATED, VEERED R AND SLID TO A STOP. THE NOSE AND L MAIN GEAR WAS COLLAPSED AND THE L PROP DAMAGED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS IN THIS INCIDENT ARE THE FOLLOWING: WEAK RECEPTION ON #1 NAV EQUIP - NAV FLAG ON/OFF UP TO 6 MI OUT (SCRATCHY MORSE CODE). CONDITION OF RWY LIGHTS AND RWY. RWY WAS PREVIOUSLY PLOWED LEAVING A SNOW RIDGE ON THE S EDGE OF THE N EDGE LIGHTS, OBSCURING PLTS VIEW LOOKING AT THEM FROM MY POS. RWY COVERED WITH DRIFTING SNOW ELIMINATING ANY OUTLINE OF RWY, OR RWY MARKINGS. MY FIRST KNOWLEDGE OF LNDG OFF THE RWY WAS AFTER THE INCIDENT (SEE DIAGRAM) UP TO THE POINT OF REVIEW 15 MIN LATER, I CONCLUDED I LANDED IN SNOW DRIFT ON THE RWY. THE MOST CORRECTIVE ACTION WOULD BE TO MAINTAIN BETTER RWY SNOW REMOVAL AT THIS ARPT. GAYLORD, MICHIGAN IS LOCATED IN THE UPPER PART OF LOWER MICHIGAN'S SNOW BELT. LIKE MOST SMALLER ARPTS THEY ARE UNDERSTAFFED UNDERFUNDED. A LOT OF THESE ARPTS PLOW AROUND RWY LIGHTS NOT CLRING SNOW BUILDUPS AROUND THE TOPS OF RWY LIGHT LENSES. THUS OBSTRUCTING 360 DEGS ILLUMINATION.

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.