Light Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Confusion
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown; Ground Excursion Taxiway
General Maintenance Action
Airport; Weather
After crossing the runway; I was taxiing the aircraft to [FBO]. Heavy blowing snow; low visibility along with the absence of illuminated taxi lights made the taxi very challenging. The taxiways were not plowed and the landscape was completely neutral due to the snow providing an appearance of all surfaces being level and continuous. At what I perceived as the entrance to the FBO. I observed a hashed black and yellow sign to my left with a blue unilluminated taxi light. To my right was a [business jet]. Straight ahead I observed the lineman and could see the FBO lights. As I continued the taxi I felt the nose wheel give and the aircraft stopped. We were traveling at such a low speed that the aircraft rested smoothly and at first I thought it was just deep snow as all surfaces except the runway were covered with roughly 8 inches of loose snow. I then concluded this wasn't the case as we both observed the drop in the aircraft nose attitude. Don't taxi when visibility is low and the combination of unplowed surfaces along with unlit taxiway lights. In these condition I should have requested a follow truck or a snow plow to follow. I would like to see markers placed at that location to avoid a reoccurrence. I was told by airport staff that this wasn't the first time it has happened and they wish that area be paved or marked.
[Report narrative contained no additional information.]
The flight crew of a business jet reported becoming disoriented while taxiing to the gate in blowing snow and low visibility conditions which resulted in the aircraft departing the paved taxiway surface.