What happened
Following a local flight, the pilot returned to the departure airport to land on runway 32. The conditions at the airport were challenging, with the 5,000 foot runway covered in ice along its entire length. Although the surface had been lightly sanded, it remained slippery. Wind data indicated a wind from 260 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 19 knots.
During the landing roll, the airplane veered to the left side of the runway. It continued off the paved surface and collided with a snowbank located at the edge of the runway. Examination of the runway surface revealed no skid marks, suggesting the pilot may not have applied significant braking or steering corrections prior to the impact.
The investigation
Investigators examined the runway conditions and the aircraft's path. The primary finding was the extensive ice coverage on the runway 32 surface. The lack of skid marks indicated that the loss of directional control occurred before any heavy braking could leave evidence on the icy pavement.
Findings
The contributing factors to this accident included the icy runway conditions and the resulting loss of directional control during the landing roll. The light sanding was insufficient to provide adequate traction for safe operations under the reported wind conditions.