Runway Departure After Snow-Covered Landing

Incident Overview and Runway Conditions During the approach, the pilot overflew the airport and observed what appeared to be a light coating of snow on runway 10-28. The runway was described as a 4,500-foot-long, 75-foot-wide asphalt surface. After landing on runway 28, the pilot determined that approximately 1 to 1.5 inches of snow was present on the runway surface. The airport was unattended at the time of the accident, and no notices to airmen were issued regarding the runway condition. ## Accident Sequence and Damage Following the landing, the airplane began to slide to the right. It subsequently departed the right side of the runway, struck a snow bank, and spun 180 degrees. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to its horizontal stabilizer. ## Pilot Experience and Weather The pilot reported approximately 1,210 hours of total flight experience, including 21 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The pilot also reported that winds at the time of the accident were from 260 degrees at 10 to 15 knots.