PLT OF AN ATX SMA SINGLE ENG LAND LANDED SHORT OF RWY RESULTING IN HITTING SNOW BANK CAUSING A BLOWN MAIN GEAR TIRE.

Narrative

THE WINTER IN FAIRBANKS THIS YR HAS BEEN A PARTICULARLY SNOWY ONE. TOTAL ACCUMULATION OF SNOW IS NEARLY 70 INCHES; HOWEVER; THE SNOW DEPTH IS APPROX 30 INCHES DUE TO COMPACTION OF THE SNOW FROM ITS OWN WT. THE AREA PRECEDING RWY 1R IS NOT A TAXI AREA AND THUS IS NOT PLOWED. I WAS IN A CESSNA 207 AND AS I BEGAN MY FLARE TO RWY 1R; I FELT; MUCH TO MY SURPRISE; THE WHEELS LIGHTLY TOUCH THE SNOW PRECEDING THE RWY. NO CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS NEEDED NOR TAKEN AND THE ACFT PROCEEDED TO A TOUCHDOWN ON THE NUMBERS OF RWY 1R; WHEREUPON THE R MAIN TIRE WENT FLAT ON ROLLOUT. TFC BEHIND ME WAS FORCED TO GAR WHILE I WAITED FOR ASSISTANCE IN GETTING THE ACFT OFF THE RWY. MECHS CAME; CHANGED THE TIRE AND I WAS ABLE TO TAXI CLR OF THE RWY. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE TIRE WENT FLAT DUE TO CONTACTING THE SNOW SHORT OF THE RWY BUT WAS RATHER AN UNFORTUNATE COINCIDENCE THAT DREW ATTN TO MY FLT. THE MAIN REASON THIS ALL HAPPENED WAS DUE TO MY FAILURE TO STAY ON THE VASI. IT IS OF THE 'ALIGNMENT OF THE ELEMENTS' TYPE VASI AND WAS NOT READILY VISIBLE IN THE LOW FLAT LIGHT CONDITIONS OF THE DAY. ALSO; I WAS IN THE HABIT OF LNDG ON THE NUMBERS IN ORDER TO MAKE THE FIRST TXWY. SOUND FAMILIAR? ALSO; CONTRIBUTING TO THIS INCIDENT WAS THE FLAT LIGHT CONDITIONS UNDER THE OVCST WHICH CONSIDERABLY REDUCED MY DEPTH PERCEPTION. AT NO TIME DID I FEEL THAT I WAS TOO LOW. IT FELT LIKE A NORMAL APCH TO A RWY I'VE LANDED AT HUNDREDS OF TIMES BEFORE. COMPLACENCY PERHAPS? A FINAL CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE DEPTH OF THE SNOW PRECEDING THE RWY. IT PRESENTED A SURFACE SOME 2 FT HIGHER THAN THE SURFACE OF THE PLOWED RWY. AGAIN; STAYING ON THE VASI WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE WHOLE INCIDENT; EXCEPT FOR THE FLAT TIRE.