Narrative:

We departed the gate at XA25 am and proceeded down taxiway 'C' to runway 09. The taxiway markings were obscured by snow. There were taxiway edge marker poles which were blue in color and clearly visible. I used these poles to judge our position on the taxiway. Shortly after leaving the gate, the #2 propeller struck a snowbank and caused the aircraft to yaw to the right until it came to a stop well into the snowbank, but still well within the limits of the taxiway. The snowbank was completely invisible to both crew members. In fact when the airport sent out an operations vehicle, it promptly ran into the same snowbank. The airport was closed just after the incident occurred. There were no NOTAMS listed on the WX package or given by ground control.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PROP OF AN LTT STRUCK SNOWBANK ON TXWY CAUSING FLC TO LOSE CTL OF ACFT BECOME STRANDED IN SNOWBANK.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED THE GATE AT XA25 AM AND PROCEEDED DOWN TXWY 'C' TO RWY 09. THE TXWY MARKINGS WERE OBSCURED BY SNOW. THERE WERE TXWY EDGE MARKER POLES WHICH WERE BLUE IN COLOR AND CLEARLY VISIBLE. I USED THESE POLES TO JUDGE OUR POS ON THE TXWY. SHORTLY AFTER LEAVING THE GATE, THE #2 PROP STRUCK A SNOWBANK AND CAUSED THE ACFT TO YAW TO THE R UNTIL IT CAME TO A STOP WELL INTO THE SNOWBANK, BUT STILL WELL WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE TXWY. THE SNOWBANK WAS COMPLETELY INVISIBLE TO BOTH CREW MEMBERS. IN FACT WHEN THE AIRPORT SENT OUT AN OPS VEHICLE, IT PROMPTLY RAN INTO THE SAME SNOWBANK. THE AIRPORT WAS CLOSED JUST AFTER THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. THERE WERE NO NOTAMS LISTED ON THE WX PACKAGE OR GIVEN BY GND CTL.

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.