Incident Overview
A commercial certificated pilot was conducting a flight to transport a barrel of aviation fuel to a remote airport. The fuel was intended for use on company CFR Part 135 flights scheduled later that day. Upon arrival, the pilot observed snow drifts near the approach end of the runway and decided to over-fly that area. The airplane touched down approximately 1,000 feet from the approach end. Due to snow on the remaining runway, the pilot maintained a higher-than-normal rollout speed to prevent the aircraft from becoming stuck in the snow.
Pilot Account
According to the pilot, when he attempted to fully retard the engine throttle, the engine idle would not decrease below about 1,500 rpm. As the end of the runway approached, he applied the brakes but experienced no braking action. He considered shutting off the engine, applying full brakes, and sliding off the runway. Instead, he applied full power to initiate a go-around. The airplane became momentarily airborne before colliding with a snow-covered gravel berm. The left wing separated from the fuselage as the aircraft bounced upward. The airplane caught fire and came to rest inverted. Witnesses and pedestrians ran to the wreckage with fire extinguishers and pulled the pilot from the wreckage. The airplane was destroyed.
Witness Observations
Witnesses reported that three airplanes landed before the accident airplane's arrival. They stated that the accident airplane landed on the runway but added engine power as it approached within about 300 feet of the end. The airplane appeared to become airborne to a height of about 18 inches but did not gain additional altitude before striking the gravel berm.
Runway Conditions
The runway is 6,250 feet long and 100 feet wide. An FAA NOTAM had been issued for the airport, which stated: "Patchy 1/2 inch of packed snow and ice on the runway; runway plowed 100 feet wide; 24 inch berms outside of plowed area."