What happened
At 0844 Newfoundland standard time, a Beech 190 andD, registration C-GLHO, was taxiing on Runway 02/20 at St. John's Airport when it struck a two-foot-high windrow of snow. The obstruction was located on the runway just north of taxiway Charlie. The aircraft, operating as Lab Air 8333, was carrying 10 passengers and two crew members at the time of the incident. While the aircraft suffered substantial damage, there were no injuries to anyone on board.
The investigation
The investigation established that the windrow was a byproduct of snow plowing operations. Because the airport's winter maintenance priorities focus on active runways, the area of the runway north of taxiway Charlie is designated as a low-priority surface. At the time of the accident, the airport was managing a high workload due to freezing drizzle, a stranded Airbus, and frequent runway changes.
Several communication and procedural gaps were identified. The practice of not reporting windrows on non-active runways meant that neither the ground controller nor the maintenance lead-hands were aware of the obstruction. Furthermore, the shift change for snow removal crews coincided with the taxi clearance for the aircraft, and the personnel who had knowledge of the windrow had likely left the field. The incoming lead-hand did not conduct a standard field inspection because of the urgent need to prepare Runway 29 and manage the stranded Airbus.
Findings
- The unreported windrow was left on a taxi path that remained open despite being unusable and unnecessary for operations.
- The airport's winter maintenance plan lacked specific guidance regarding the closure and subsequent reopening of low-priority airfield surfaces.
- Environmental factors, including flat-light conditions and a white background, made the windrow difficult to detect.
- The crew's attention was diverted by snow removal vehicles on an adjacent runway, and internal cockpit tasks, such as checklist reading and instrument verification, prevented early detection.
- The aircraft's taxi speed and the icy runway surface prevented the pilot from stopping the aircraft in time to avoid the collision or implement emergency checklists.