Approach and Landing
The captain initiated an ILS approach to Runway 19 at night after verifying that weather conditions were above the landing minimums. The weather included snow, drizzle, and a right quartering tailwind. According to pilot interviews and cockpit voice recorder data, the approach lights were visible before reaching the decision height. The pilots reported that the aircraft touched down "slightly left of centerline," after which they lost sight of the runway edge lights. At approximately that moment, the airplane landed on an unplowed section of the partially plowed runway, about 60 feet left of the centerline. The landing gear collapsed, and the airplane slid to a stop, sustaining substantial damage.
Runway Conditions
Prior to the approach, the pilots had checked NOTAMs and were aware that 130 feet of the 150-foot-wide runway had been plowed. However, the NOTAM did not specify that the plowing was not centered on the runway. According to FAA Advisory Circular AC 150/5200-30A, details concerning a partially plowed runway should be reported via NOTAM. The snow banks at the edges of the runway, which were about 2 feet high, were slightly higher than the runway edge lights.