Aircraft Excursion Due to Whiteout Conditions

Casualties unknown • Marquette, MI, US

An aircraft veered off the runway and became stuck in deep snow during a landing in heavy snow and blowing snow conditions, resulting in no injuries.

What happened

During the approach, weather conditions were reported at approach minimums, characterized by snow and blowing snow. The flight crew successfully acquired the runway environment at or above decision height.

However, upon touchdown, a whiteout occurred, which reduced forward visibility to zero. As the captain was piloting the aircraft, the loss of visual reference to the runway led to an inability to maintain directional control. The aircraft drifted to the right, causing the right main landing gear to contact deep snow. The aircraft eventually came to rest in waist-deep snow approximately 100 feet off the runway.

There were no injuries reported among the three crew members or the 25 passengers. The incident resulted in damage to the nose landing gear.

Probable cause

The pilot lost visual reference to the runway due to a whiteout at touchdown, leading to a loss of directional control and subsequent excursion into deep snow.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1990-02-24 Fokker F-27-200 accident near Marquette, MI?

An aircraft veered off the runway and became stuck in deep snow during a landing in heavy snow and blowing snow conditions, resulting in no injuries.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1990-02-24 involved a Fokker F-27-200, registration N270MA, at Marquette, MI.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot lost visual reference to the runway due to a whiteout at touchdown, leading to a loss of directional control and subsequent excursion into deep snow.

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