Narrative:

I was PIC of the airplane that was on an IFR flight plan from gri to jac. Upon approaching the vicinity of jac, I was in IMC, and I was #2 behind a gulfstream aircraft. I obtained the transcribed WX on the AWOS. The WX I received was 1000 ft overcast with 1 mi visibility. I was directed by ZLC to execute a holding pattern while the gulfstream airplane in front of me was cleared for the ILS approach to runway 18 at jackson, wy. At some point in this sequence of events, ZLC gave updated WX to the gulfstream and asked me if I heard the WX report also. I acknowledged that radio broadcast. After making 1 circuit of the holding pattern, I was cleared for the ILS runway 18 approach into jackson, wy. I broke out just above decision ht. After I broke out, I had before me what I believed were the runway threshold lights. It was dusk, and the area of the airport and the area surrounding the airport was covered in snow. Also, the runway itself was covered in snow. Unlike many airports, which have ILS approachs, this airport does not have an approach lighting system with sequence flashers. The approach plate indicates that it does have high intensity runway lights and REIL's. I lined up my airplane on what I believed was the REIL's. Because of the position of my aircraft, 30 ft to the left of the runway, the best I can determine is that I must have mistaken the PAPI for REIL's, and this led me to conclude that I was lined up with the runway and runway threshold in a poor lighting and visibility environment where the ground and runway were covered in snow. The touchdown on the snow covered ground to the left side of the runway was uneventful, except for the abrupt deceleration. After landing, I turned off all of the aircraft electrical and fuel system and had my passenger deplane the airplane.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SUPER KING AIR 200 PVT PLT IDENTS THE PAPI LIGHTS FOR THE REIL'S AND SUBSEQUENTLY LANDS OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE SNOW COVERED RWY 18 AT JAC, WY.

Narrative: I WAS PIC OF THE AIRPLANE THAT WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM GRI TO JAC. UPON APCHING THE VICINITY OF JAC, I WAS IN IMC, AND I WAS #2 BEHIND A GULFSTREAM ACFT. I OBTAINED THE TRANSCRIBED WX ON THE AWOS. THE WX I RECEIVED WAS 1000 FT OVCST WITH 1 MI VISIBILITY. I WAS DIRECTED BY ZLC TO EXECUTE A HOLDING PATTERN WHILE THE GULFSTREAM AIRPLANE IN FRONT OF ME WAS CLRED FOR THE ILS APCH TO RWY 18 AT JACKSON, WY. AT SOME POINT IN THIS SEQUENCE OF EVENTS, ZLC GAVE UPDATED WX TO THE GULFSTREAM AND ASKED ME IF I HEARD THE WX RPT ALSO. I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT RADIO BROADCAST. AFTER MAKING 1 CIRCUIT OF THE HOLDING PATTERN, I WAS CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 18 APCH INTO JACKSON, WY. I BROKE OUT JUST ABOVE DECISION HT. AFTER I BROKE OUT, I HAD BEFORE ME WHAT I BELIEVED WERE THE RWY THRESHOLD LIGHTS. IT WAS DUSK, AND THE AREA OF THE ARPT AND THE AREA SURROUNDING THE ARPT WAS COVERED IN SNOW. ALSO, THE RWY ITSELF WAS COVERED IN SNOW. UNLIKE MANY ARPTS, WHICH HAVE ILS APCHS, THIS ARPT DOES NOT HAVE AN APCH LIGHTING SYS WITH SEQUENCE FLASHERS. THE APCH PLATE INDICATES THAT IT DOES HAVE HIGH INTENSITY RWY LIGHTS AND REIL'S. I LINED UP MY AIRPLANE ON WHAT I BELIEVED WAS THE REIL'S. BECAUSE OF THE POS OF MY ACFT, 30 FT TO THE L OF THE RWY, THE BEST I CAN DETERMINE IS THAT I MUST HAVE MISTAKEN THE PAPI FOR REIL'S, AND THIS LED ME TO CONCLUDE THAT I WAS LINED UP WITH THE RWY AND RWY THRESHOLD IN A POOR LIGHTING AND VISIBILITY ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE GND AND RWY WERE COVERED IN SNOW. THE TOUCHDOWN ON THE SNOW COVERED GND TO THE L SIDE OF THE RWY WAS UNEVENTFUL, EXCEPT FOR THE ABRUPT DECELERATION. AFTER LNDG, I TURNED OFF ALL OF THE ACFT ELECTRICAL AND FUEL SYS AND HAD MY PAX DEPLANE THE AIRPLANE.

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.