Narrative:

The main reason for this report is to let it be known of an impending, unorthodox and dangerous situation at ciu, sault st marie, mi. I was approaching ciu from the south. I received clearance to descend and maintain 4000 ft by toronto center. Then I was cleared to descend to 2300 ft. At 7 mi south, I saw the airport, reported it to toronto center and switched the radio to the local unicom (CTAF 123.0). I reported left downwind to runway 34 and then left base. The copilot was flying from the right seat. I told him to aim to touchdown at the threshold markings, or what we both saw as threshold markings. (The entire rest of the airport was completely covered with snow.) on final, the copilot told me, 'you got the airplane' and I landed. I aimed toward what I perceived the threshold markings (distinctively white). Upon landing, I noticed the centerline was yellow. Then, and only then, did I realize I had landed on a taxiway. I never saw the runway, which was covered with packed ice and snow. An automotive manufacturer under the auspices of the airport authorities, conducts some kind of testing practices for the automobiles inside, around and all over the airport environment. They have excellent equipment to plow and clean the runway, yet they did not do it that day. Instead, I landed a high priced, complex jet on a taxiway that was perfectly plowed, cleaned and dry and that somebody had painted 2 rectangular white markings, that in the air, looked like threshold markings. So the purpose of this report, I hope, is to have someone, be it the FAA, NTSB or any public authority/authorized, conduct an investigation on what the automobile industry is doing inside an active airport premises painting marks on txwys which are clearly not in accordance with FAA standards. FSS was contacted 2 times and got pertinent WX information. ASOS was also recorded at destination. ASOS reported 3500 ft broken, 2800 ft broken, visibility 3 plus mi light snow, wind 300 degree, 6 to 12 mi visibility. Runway conditions and braking action was omitted.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT CREW LANDED ON TXWY B AT CIU.

Narrative: THE MAIN REASON FOR THIS RPT IS TO LET IT BE KNOWN OF AN IMPENDING, UNORTHODOX AND DANGEROUS SIT AT CIU, SAULT ST MARIE, MI. I WAS APCHING CIU FROM THE S. I RECEIVED CLRNC TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 4000 FT BY TORONTO CTR. THEN I WAS CLRED TO DSND TO 2300 FT. AT 7 MI S, I SAW THE ARPT, RPTED IT TO TORONTO CTR AND SWITCHED THE RADIO TO THE LCL UNICOM (CTAF 123.0). I RPTED L DOWNWIND TO RWY 34 AND THEN L BASE. THE COPLT WAS FLYING FROM THE R SEAT. I TOLD HIM TO AIM TO TOUCHDOWN AT THE THRESHOLD MARKINGS, OR WHAT WE BOTH SAW AS THRESHOLD MARKINGS. (THE ENTIRE REST OF THE ARPT WAS COMPLETELY COVERED WITH SNOW.) ON FINAL, THE COPLT TOLD ME, 'YOU GOT THE AIRPLANE' AND I LANDED. I AIMED TOWARD WHAT I PERCEIVED THE THRESHOLD MARKINGS (DISTINCTIVELY WHITE). UPON LNDG, I NOTICED THE CTRLINE WAS YELLOW. THEN, AND ONLY THEN, DID I REALIZE I HAD LANDED ON A TXWY. I NEVER SAW THE RWY, WHICH WAS COVERED WITH PACKED ICE AND SNOW. AN AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURER UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE ARPT AUTHORITIES, CONDUCTS SOME KIND OF TESTING PRACTICES FOR THE AUTOMOBILES INSIDE, AROUND AND ALL OVER THE ARPT ENVIRONMENT. THEY HAVE EXCELLENT EQUIP TO PLOW AND CLEAN THE RWY, YET THEY DID NOT DO IT THAT DAY. INSTEAD, I LANDED A HIGH PRICED, COMPLEX JET ON A TXWY THAT WAS PERFECTLY PLOWED, CLEANED AND DRY AND THAT SOMEBODY HAD PAINTED 2 RECTANGULAR WHITE MARKINGS, THAT IN THE AIR, LOOKED LIKE THRESHOLD MARKINGS. SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS RPT, I HOPE, IS TO HAVE SOMEONE, BE IT THE FAA, NTSB OR ANY PUBLIC AUTH, CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION ON WHAT THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY IS DOING INSIDE AN ACTIVE ARPT PREMISES PAINTING MARKS ON TXWYS WHICH ARE CLEARLY NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAA STANDARDS. FSS WAS CONTACTED 2 TIMES AND GOT PERTINENT WX INFO. ASOS WAS ALSO RECORDED AT DEST. ASOS RPTED 3500 FT BROKEN, 2800 FT BROKEN, VISIBILITY 3 PLUS MI LIGHT SNOW, WIND 300 DEG, 6 TO 12 MI VISIBILITY. RWY CONDITIONS AND BRAKING ACTION WAS OMITTED.

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.