Small transport twin hit snow drifts on attempted takeoff on snow-covered runway. Collapsed nose gea...

Attributes
ACN	131581
Time
Date	198912
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : azo
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	131581
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : rejected takeoff
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Tower closed. Large transport had just landed and reported runway ok. After run up and considerable taxi on txwys, I took active runway (17) for takeoff. Runway appeared clear with light. Snow on surface, same as txwys. On takeoff,I encountered drifts on left side. Aircraft pulled toward left. I could not hold runway heading and had not obtained takeoff speed. Speed was approximately 80 KTS. I ran off runway shearing nose gear in process. I believe the runway could have been checked more frequently during this snow condition and pilots notified of drifts or to wait for plowing to commence. ATIS did not sufficiently warn/alarm a pilot of the current runway condition.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT TWIN HIT SNOW DRIFTS ON ATTEMPTED TKOF ON SNOW-COVERED RWY. COLLAPSED NOSE GEAR.

Narrative: TWR CLOSED. LGT HAD JUST LANDED AND RPTED RWY OK. AFTER RUN UP AND CONSIDERABLE TAXI ON TXWYS, I TOOK ACTIVE RWY (17) FOR TKOF. RWY APPEARED CLR WITH LIGHT. SNOW ON SURFACE, SAME AS TXWYS. ON TKOF,I ENCOUNTERED DRIFTS ON LEFT SIDE. ACFT PULLED TOWARD LEFT. I COULD NOT HOLD RWY HDG AND HAD NOT OBTAINED TKOF SPD. SPD WAS APPROX 80 KTS. I RAN OFF RWY SHEARING NOSE GEAR IN PROCESS. I BELIEVE THE RWY COULD HAVE BEEN CHKED MORE FREQUENTLY DURING THIS SNOW CONDITION AND PLTS NOTIFIED OF DRIFTS OR TO WAIT FOR PLOWING TO COMMENCE. ATIS DID NOT SUFFICIENTLY WARN/ALARM A PLT OF THE CURRENT RWY CONDITION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Small transport twin hit snow drifts on attempted takeoff on snow-covered runway. Collapsed nose gear.