Lewistown, MT, USA
C-GZPU
PIPER PA42
The flight crew reported that, the instrument approach was flown on autopilot to about 700 ft above ground level until the runway was visually in sight. They were 300 ft off the runway centerline, and 1 nautical mile from the runway threshold. The visual glideslope indicator was inoperative, and the runway markings were obscured due to dry light snow. The airplane subsequently landed hard on the unusable portion of the runway, about 800 ft short of the landing threshold, and the left mail landing gear tire blew, causing the propellor to strike the runway. The airplane veered off the runway substantially damaging the left wing. The pilots reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the out of service visual glideslope indicator and snow obscuring the runway markings.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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