What happened
A commercial pilot was attempting to land on a 1,200-foot long, snow-covered runway that is privately maintained. Prior to the approach, the pilot's flight scheduler had received word from a village agent that the runway had been plowed, graded, and was open for use.
To verify the condition of the surface, the pilot performed a low pass over the runway, which appeared to be clear. However, during the landing roll, the left wing of the aircraft struck a snow berm, resulting in substantial damage to the wing.
The investigation revealed that while the runway had been plowed to a width of approximately 40 feet and a length of about 1,000 feet, the resulting snow berms on the sides of the cleared path were approximately 6 feet high. These berms were not visible from the air during the pilot's inspection pass. The wingtips of the aircraft were positioned at a height of approximately 4 feet. Additionally, official records in the Alaska Supplement indicate that the runways at this specific airport are not maintained during the winter months.