On March 16, 1998, a Cessna 310Q (registration N1521T) operated by Robert E. Joyce was involved in an aviation accident near Council Bluffs, IA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's failure to maintain proper runway alignment during the landing. The dark night was a factor. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft touched down in a snow bank on the right edge of the runway, causing the nose gear to collapse and the plane to slide sideways before coming to rest.
What happened
The airplane touched down in a snow bank on the right edge of the runway. The nose gear collapsed and the airplane slid sideways coming to a stop on a easterly heading. The pilot was unable to lower the airplane's landing lights during the approach, but he reported the runway lights were on high intensity and the visibility was good.