Dashing Through the Snow …

A Gulfstream G200 (nee Astra Galaxy) slid into a snowbank shortly after landing at Wyoming’s Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) on 27 December 2022.

The super-midsize jet–designed to compete with Bombardier’s Challenger 300 and Raytheon’s Hawker 4000 models–reportedly failed to execute a turn from Runway 19 onto intersection A1, the airport’s southernmost taxiway exit, and hit an adjacent snowbank.

Airport ground crews utilized machinery and hand-shovels to clear snow from around the G200 before attaching straps to the jet’s landing gear and pulling it back onto the hard surface.

Jackson Hole Airport executive director Jim Elwood set forth that the mishap—which occurred at approximately 10:45 MST—resulted in neither damage to the G200 nor injury to any of the aircraft’s eight passengers. Mr. Elwood added, however, that the incident occasioned a one-hour runway closure, exacerbated flight delays, and forced at least one fuel-related diversion to Salt Lake City (SLC).

Mr. Elwood further noted that an arriving aircraft touching down just minutes prior to the G200 reported braking action as “good.”

According to the Jackson Hole Airport website, 27 December saw 12 commercial flights arrive late, and another two canceled. Likewise, 12 departing commercial flights were delayed, and another two canceled.

Following a 2005 accident in which Southwest Airlines Flight 1248 departed the end of an active runway while attempting to land in a snowstorm at Chicago’s Midway Airport (MDW)—the FAA, in October 2016, updated the quantification of runway braking action from the zero through one-hundred MU values reports to the current, decidedly simpler, zero through six system—zero indicating “nil” braking action, and six indicating a dry runway surface.

Whether or not the G200 flight-crew were advised of runway braking conditions at the time of their arrival at JAC is unknown.

FMI: www.jacksonholeairport.com