CHI00FA071

The captain reported that upon landing, '... the aircraft pulled to the right due to unknown reasons.' He also stated that, 'The aircraft departed the runway surface at which point a propeller blade impacted an unknown object that severed the blade from the hub and causing it to impact the fuselage.' A representative at the airport reported that snow plowing operations were being conducted at the time of the accident, when the driver of the snow plow heard the aircraft report on the Unicom frequency. At this time, the snow plowing operations were suspended. About 45 minutes elapsed before the aircraft touched down. The report also indicates that the runway had not been plowed to its full width and that the south side of the runway had not been plowed. The report also indicates that no radio communications were made with the flight crew regarding updated runway conditions. Airport condition reports from the day of the accident indicate that there was a snowbank approximately 24 inches high on the south side of the runway.

On February 15, 2000, at 1825 eastern standard time, a Beech 1900D, N81SK, operated as Skyway Airline flight 1353, sustained substantial damage when, on landing, it departed runway 09 (6,501 feet by 150 feet, snow covered asphalt) at the Delta County Airport, Escanaba, Michigan. The 14 CFR Part 121 scheduled passenger flight was on an instrument flight rules flight plan. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No injuries were reported by the two crew members or the seven passengers. The flight originated from the Cherry Capital Airport, Traverse City, Michigan at 1700.

The captain reported that a previous instrument approach was attempted that resulted in a missed approach. The captain said that after the missed approach, the aircraft was placed in a holding pattern until proper visibility was reported on the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS). The captain reported that another instrument approach was made with the first officer manipulating the controls. The captain reported that upon landing, "... the aircraft pulled to the right due to unknown reasons." He also stated that, "The aircraft departed the runway surface at which point a propeller blade impacted an unknown object that severed the blade from the hub and causing it to impact the fuselage."

During a telephone interview conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, a representative at the airport reported that snow plowing operations were being conducted, at the time of the accident, when the driver of the snow plow heard the aircraft report on the Unicom frequency. At this time, the snow plowing operations were suspended. According to the report of the interview, it was approximately 45 minutes from the time that plowing operations were suspended until the aircraft touched down. The report also indicates that the runway had not been plowed to its full width and that the south side of the runway had not been plowed. The report also indicates that no radio communications were made with the flight crew regarding updated runway conditions.

Airport condition reports from the day of the accident indicate that there was a snowbank approximately 24 inches high on the south side of the runway. A notam had been issued indicating that there was a 24 inch snowbank on the south side of the runway and that the runway was plowed 125 feet wide and had 1 inch of loose snow cover.