PA-31 Navajo/Chieftan/Mojave/T1040
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 121; Flight Crew Total 32769; Flight Crew Type 831
Situational Awareness
Ground Event / Encounter Ground Strike - Aircraft; Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Ground Excursion Runway
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Airport; Weather
Landed on runway covered in snow. Nobody was on the island to give a runway report. Remote cameras did not show deep snow however the cameras do not show the runway itself. Based on a fly by and inspection of runway side cones I considered that the snow was only a few inches deep and suitable for landing. There were no berms or drifts apparent. Temperature was below freezing and the wind was about 15 knots from the right side. Soon after touchdown I ran into deeper wet snow that caused the airplane to rapidly decelerate and to ground loop off the side of the runway into soft ground. Both main landing gears collapsed and the right wing touched the ground before the airplane came to a stop. Nobody was hurt and emergency evacuation was not required.
The pilot of a PA31 experienced deep snow during landing that resulted in a ground loop; runway excursion; and main landing gear collapse.