What happened
The aircraft touched down on a runway surface that was obscured by a combination of ice and standing water. Upon landing, the airplane was unable to decelerate sufficiently to remain within the paved boundaries of the airfield. It continued its forward momentum past the designated stopping point and exited the departure end of the runway.
Prior to this incident, on the previous day, another pilot had contacted a nearby Flight Service Station (FSS) to report hazardous conditions at the airport. That pilot specifically noted that the runway was covered with glare ice and water, resulting in nil braking action. Despite this critical safety information being communicated to aviation authorities, it was not disseminated via a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM). Consequently, the pilot of the accident flight arrived at the airport unaware of the severe reduction in traction and had no expectation of the compromised runway conditions.
The investigation
Investigators examined the sequence of events leading to the overrun. Key findings included the failure to update official weather and runway condition reports based on recent pilot reports. The absence of a NOTAM meant that arriving aircraft operated under the assumption of normal braking capability, which was not present due to the ice and water coverage.
Findings
The primary contributing factor was the nil braking action caused by glare ice and water on the runway surface. This condition was known to local aviation services but was not communicated to arriving traffic. The accident pilot landed without knowledge of the hazard, leading to an inability to stop before exiting the runway.