Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s decision to land on the contaminated runway with previous reports of unfavorable braking action.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot reported that after touchdown, he was unable to stop the airplane on the 5,092 ft runway due to snow and ice contamination. The airplane subsequently departed the end of the runway and impacted airport lighting equipment, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot stated that braking action was reported as 3/1/3, which corresponded to medium braking action for the initial 1/3 of the runway, poor braking action for the middle 1/3 of the runway, and medium braking action for the last 1/3 of the runway. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation and that he should have diverted to another airport with better runway conditions.