Incident Overview
A ground incident occurred during aircraft pushback from the gate when the airplane's wheels became mired in snow. The tug's tow bar, equipped with a shear pin designed to fail under excessive loads, snapped in half. Following the shear pin failure, the tug struck the aircraft, resulting in a broken windshield and damage to the radome and forward pressure bulkhead.
Snow Accumulation
Airport operations personnel are responsible for snow removal on the ramp. According to a ramp manager from the Federal Express Corporation, the snow bank in which the aircraft became stuck measured 12 to 16 inches from both the ramp and the service road. The manager stated that the snow should have been plowed but was allowed to accumulate in that location.
Damage Assessment
The impact caused the aircraft's windshield to break and inflicted damage on the radome and forward pressure bulkhead. No further details on the extent of the damage or repair status were provided in the source.
Operational Context
The incident highlights the role of ground support equipment and snow removal procedures in ramp operations. The source did not specify the aircraft type, registration, operator, date, location, time of day, weather conditions, occupant count, injuries, or ATC involvement.