Narrative:

Inbound to alb, talked to company operations on radio, was given field conditions, plowed/sanded full width/length. Same conditions reported on ATIS and tower. On landing found centerline dry and bare. However, approximately 35 to 50 ft to either side of centerline, there was a 6-8 inch snow berm of wet heavy snow chunks. Beyond this there was 1-2 inches of wet heavy snow. Needless to say, I felt the incompetent, uncaring manner in which the field conditions were reported endangered the safety of the aircraft, passenger and crew. We rely on airports, company and ATC to give accurate reports. I would not have landed had I known the conditions. On departure I requested and received a ride down the runway with the airport manager to report on today's conditions. I let him know about my feelings about accurately reporting runway conditions. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter was flying a B737-300 when he encountered the 'snow berms' on runway 1. These ridges of snow were the remnants of an attempt to clear the center, only, of the runway and, according to the reporter, consisted of snow, ice and frozen rain and were quite solid. The next morning he rode down the runway with the airport manager to show him the berms and to emphasize the importance of providing a completely clear runway. He said that the manager seemed to understand, but was unhappy with his technique.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER LNDG AN ACR FLC DISCOVERS THAT THE SNOW PLOWS HAD LEFT A 'SNOW BERM' 35 TO 50 FT EITHER SIDE OF CTRLINE AND RUNNING THE LENGTH OF RWY 1 AND FROM 6 TO 8 INCHES HIGH. B737-300.

Narrative: INBOUND TO ALB, TALKED TO COMPANY OPS ON RADIO, WAS GIVEN FIELD CONDITIONS, PLOWED/SANDED FULL WIDTH/LENGTH. SAME CONDITIONS RPTED ON ATIS AND TWR. ON LNDG FOUND CTRLINE DRY AND BARE. HOWEVER, APPROX 35 TO 50 FT TO EITHER SIDE OF CTRLINE, THERE WAS A 6-8 INCH SNOW BERM OF WET HVY SNOW CHUNKS. BEYOND THIS THERE WAS 1-2 INCHES OF WET HVY SNOW. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I FELT THE INCOMPETENT, UNCARING MANNER IN WHICH THE FIELD CONDITIONS WERE RPTED ENDANGERED THE SAFETY OF THE ACFT, PAX AND CREW. WE RELY ON ARPTS, COMPANY AND ATC TO GIVE ACCURATE RPTS. I WOULD NOT HAVE LANDED HAD I KNOWN THE CONDITIONS. ON DEP I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A RIDE DOWN THE RWY WITH THE ARPT MGR TO RPT ON TODAY'S CONDITIONS. I LET HIM KNOW ABOUT MY FEELINGS ABOUT ACCURATELY RPTING RWY CONDITIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS FLYING A B737-300 WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED THE 'SNOW BERMS' ON RWY 1. THESE RIDGES OF SNOW WERE THE REMNANTS OF AN ATTEMPT TO CLR THE CTR, ONLY, OF THE RWY AND, ACCORDING TO THE RPTR, CONSISTED OF SNOW, ICE AND FROZEN RAIN AND WERE QUITE SOLID. THE NEXT MORNING HE RODE DOWN THE RWY WITH THE ARPT MGR TO SHOW HIM THE BERMS AND TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING A COMPLETELY CLR RWY. HE SAID THAT THE MGR SEEMED TO UNDERSTAND, BUT WAS UNHAPPY WITH HIS TECHNIQUE.

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.