AFTER LNDG; TXWY PARTIALLY PAVED AND SNOW COVERED. TRACKS INDICATE ANOTHER ACFT TAXIED THROUGH. NOSEWHEEL SINKS IN MUD UPON ENTERING NON PAVED AREA. PROP STRIKE.

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WHILE ADMINISTRATING A FLT TEST FOR COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATION; I ASKED THE APPLICANT TO LAND AT 45G; WHICH HAS A 2600 FT BY 24 FT RWY. THE RWY HAD BEEN PLOWED AND WAS CLR AND DRY; BUT WITH SNOW BANKS 2 FT HIGH EITHER SIDE; LEAVING NO ROOM TO TURN AROUND. APPROX 2/3 OF THE WAY DOWN THE WAY IS A PAVED TURNOFF TO THE TXWY WHICH IS PAVED AT THAT POINT; AND FOR THE NEXT 20 FT OR SO. THERE IS THEN AN UNPAVED STRETCH OF TXWY AND THE REST OF IT IS PAVED. WHEN WE GOT TO THE UNPAVED PORTION; WE OBSERVED TRACKS IN THE SNOW (THIS PART WAS STILL SNOW COVERED) INDICATING THAT AN AIRPLANE HAD RECENTLY TAXIED RIGHT THROUGH. THE PLT (APPLICANT) PROCEEDED FORWARD AND ON ENTERING THE UNPAVED PORTION OF THE TXWY; THE NOSEWHEEL SUNK IN THE MUD AND DAMAGED THE PROP. THIS RESULTED FROM THE FACT THAT THE TEMP WAS SUCH THAT THE GND HAD SOFTENED SINCE THE LAST AIRPLANE HAD GONE THROUGH. THERE WAS NO WAY OF KNOWING THIS CONDITION EXISTED; AND THIS INCIDENT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ANYBODY. TO PREVENT A FUTURE SUCH OCCURRENCE; I RECOMMEND THAT THE ENTIRE TXWY BE PAVED (THERE IS ONLY A SMALL PORTION REMAINING UNPAVED). INCIDENTALLY; THE APPLICANT PASSED HIS CHK RIDE!