FLC OF METRO II HAS NOSE GEAR STEERING FAIL WHILE TAXIING. THE ACFT BECAME STUCK IN SNOW. MAINT CHK PROVED ACFT OK TO FLY. ON RETURN FLT MAINT CHKED ACFT AGAIN AND FOUND PROP DAMAGE.

Narrative

THE CAPT WAS TAXIING THE ACFT (A METRO II) FOR DEP IN GGW; MT; AND THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING FAILED CAUSING THE ACFT TO VEER TO THE L. THE L MAIN TIRES BECAME STUCK IN SNOW APPROX 2 FT OFF THE TXWY; AND THE NOSEWHEELS WERE ON THE EDGE OF THE TXWY IN SNOW. THE CAPT SHUT DOWN THE ACFT AND WE WENT OUTSIDE TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY TAXI LIGHTS CLOSE; AND TO SEE IF THE NOSEWHEELS WERE TURNED. THERE WERE NOT ANY TAXI LIGHTS THAT WE HIT; AND THE L PROPS WERE ABOVE THE SNOW. THE CAPT THEN CALLED FOR A TUG TO PULL THE ACFT OUT OF THE SNOW AND BACK TO THE TERMINAL. WE WENT INSIDE TO CALL MAINT AND OUR STATION AGENT SAID SHE HEARD OUR L PROP WAS BENT; SO THE CAPT AND I WENT OUT AND INSPECTED THE PROP FINDING NO BENDS OR DAMAGE THAT WE COULD SEE. THE CAPT THEN RESTARTED THE L ENG TWICE CHKING THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING. IT TESTED OK; SO MAINT SAID WE COULD CONTINUE THE FLT. WE BOARDED THE PAX AND CONTINUED. ON RETURN TO BILLINGS; MT; OUR MAINT CHKED THE PROP FINDING THE ENDS OF THE PROPS ON THE L SIDE TO BE BENT; SURPRISING BOTH THE CAPT AND MYSELF SINCE WE HAD CHKED THEM CAREFULLY; AND HAD NOT FOUND ANY DAMAGE THAT WE COULD SEE. IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN I WOULD HAVE A MECH CHK THE PROP EVEN IF IT APPEARED OK BEFORE FLYING THE ACFT.