What happened
A regional jet operating as a 14 CFR Part 121 domestic passenger flight sustained minor damage when its nose landing gear collapsed during the landing rollout on runway 20. Prior to the ILS instrument approach, the crew obtained ATIS information indicating winds of 060 degrees at 14 knots. The crew did not check these winds against the Wind Component Conversion Chart; while the chart indicated a tailwind component of 10.5 knots and a crosswind of 9 knots, the aircraft's tailwind limitation was 10 knots. Flight Data Recorder (FDR) data showed the aircraft actually landed with a 13 knot tailwind.
The tower controller had notified the pilot that snowplows had cleared the runway centerline but noted that braking action was "fair to poor." The captain did not brief the first officer regarding procedures for landing on a contaminated runway, and while an approach brief was conducted, it did not include missed approach procedures. The aircraft touched down approximately 2,900 feet from the approach end of the runway, which was beyond the touchdown zone limit of 2,333 feet. FDR data indicated the aircraft touched down on a heading of 190 degrees at 124 knots airspeed. Shortly after the weight-on-wheels switches transitioned to ground, the nose landing gear switch reverted to air, indicating a collapse. The airplane then skidded to a stop on the runway.
The investigation
An inspection of the aircraft revealed that the nose landing gear drag brace had broken, causing the gear to collapse rearward. The nose wheel and tire remained intact but became jammed under the fuselage during the skid. A metallurgical examination of the drag brace found no material defects, concluding the failure was due to an overload. Analysis by Messier-Dowty indicated the load required to fracture the brace was generated by hitting an obstacle. The captain reported observing ridges of snow and ice near the runway intersection.
An investigation into airport operations found that snow removal personnel were assessing runway conditions by looking through side view mirrors. Additionally, the airport did not provide friction measurement reports or NOTAMs between 1900 and 2200, a period when significant snowfall was accumulating and conditions were changing rapidly.