Narrative:

Having previously flown with my student who is private pilot rated; and satisfied with his ability to adequately preflight the airplane and brief himself with all information pertaining to the flight; I opted to obtain WX and other information related to the flight for him; as he was running late. After determining that ZZZ would meet the requirement; I briefed myself online for WX along the route and NOTAMS; and other information pertaining to the flight. The WX was perfect VFR; and I did not see any NOTAMS for the airport. The student completed the preflight of the aircraft; and I also did a thorough walkaround of the aircraft. The flight proceeded without incident. Upon arrival at the airport; we flew over the field at ZZZ approximately 1500 ft AGL (6500 ft MSL) to inspect the windsock; traffic; and runways. The runway appeared to be covered with a light smattering of snow; and there were multiple sets of tracks indicating that aircraft had been taking off and landing at the airport. It appeared no more than 1 inch of snow on the runway. Having not observed anything that would indicate the airport was not in full operation; we decided to enter a left downwind; and made appropriate calls on the CTAF. My student completed the applicable checklists; and established a stable approach. We touched down at approximately XA50 and the aircraft sank into the snow on the runway and came to a stop in approximately 160 ft. We shut down the aircraft; and exited the aircraft to inspect it. There was about 14 inches of snow on the runway. There was no damage to the aircraft; or injury to the pilots. There was no damage to the runway. I immediately contacted the operations manager at the flight school to inform him of the situation. He instructed me to contact any persons necessary to ensure the airport would be notamed closed due to aircraft on the runway. I called FSS and informed them of the aircraft on the runway; requesting the closure of the field. The chief pilot picked up both me and my student and drove us back. We discussed the flight as I have outlined it here. The event could have been avoided had I called FSS for a briefing instead of relying on the information I used online to locate NOTAMS. Also; I learned that you cannot judge the depth of snow on the runway from 1500 ft AGL; and when in doubt; don't land.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT LAND AT UNCONTROLLED ARPT WITH SNOW COVERED RWY THAT IS DEEPER THAN SUSPECTED.

Narrative: HAVING PREVIOUSLY FLOWN WITH MY STUDENT WHO IS PVT PLT RATED; AND SATISFIED WITH HIS ABILITY TO ADEQUATELY PREFLT THE AIRPLANE AND BRIEF HIMSELF WITH ALL INFO PERTAINING TO THE FLT; I OPTED TO OBTAIN WX AND OTHER INFO RELATED TO THE FLT FOR HIM; AS HE WAS RUNNING LATE. AFTER DETERMINING THAT ZZZ WOULD MEET THE REQUIREMENT; I BRIEFED MYSELF ONLINE FOR WX ALONG THE RTE AND NOTAMS; AND OTHER INFO PERTAINING TO THE FLT. THE WX WAS PERFECT VFR; AND I DID NOT SEE ANY NOTAMS FOR THE ARPT. THE STUDENT COMPLETED THE PREFLT OF THE ACFT; AND I ALSO DID A THOROUGH WALKAROUND OF THE ACFT. THE FLT PROCEEDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON ARR AT THE ARPT; WE FLEW OVER THE FIELD AT ZZZ APPROX 1500 FT AGL (6500 FT MSL) TO INSPECT THE WINDSOCK; TFC; AND RWYS. THE RWY APPEARED TO BE COVERED WITH A LIGHT SMATTERING OF SNOW; AND THERE WERE MULTIPLE SETS OF TRACKS INDICATING THAT ACFT HAD BEEN TAKING OFF AND LNDG AT THE ARPT. IT APPEARED NO MORE THAN 1 INCH OF SNOW ON THE RWY. HAVING NOT OBSERVED ANYTHING THAT WOULD INDICATE THE ARPT WAS NOT IN FULL OP; WE DECIDED TO ENTER A L DOWNWIND; AND MADE APPROPRIATE CALLS ON THE CTAF. MY STUDENT COMPLETED THE APPLICABLE CHKLISTS; AND ESTABLISHED A STABLE APCH. WE TOUCHED DOWN AT APPROX XA50 AND THE ACFT SANK INTO THE SNOW ON THE RWY AND CAME TO A STOP IN APPROX 160 FT. WE SHUT DOWN THE ACFT; AND EXITED THE ACFT TO INSPECT IT. THERE WAS ABOUT 14 INCHES OF SNOW ON THE RWY. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT; OR INJURY TO THE PLTS. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE RWY. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE OPS MGR AT THE FLT SCHOOL TO INFORM HIM OF THE SITUATION. HE INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTACT ANY PERSONS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE ARPT WOULD BE NOTAMED CLOSED DUE TO ACFT ON THE RWY. I CALLED FSS AND INFORMED THEM OF THE ACFT ON THE RWY; REQUESTING THE CLOSURE OF THE FIELD. THE CHIEF PLT PICKED UP BOTH ME AND MY STUDENT AND DROVE US BACK. WE DISCUSSED THE FLT AS I HAVE OUTLINED IT HERE. THE EVENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD I CALLED FSS FOR A BRIEFING INSTEAD OF RELYING ON THE INFO I USED ONLINE TO LOCATE NOTAMS. ALSO; I LEARNED THAT YOU CANNOT JUDGE THE DEPTH OF SNOW ON THE RWY FROM 1500 FT AGL; AND WHEN IN DOUBT; DON'T LAND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.