I made a left-hand turn during a snow storm, and the right rear wheel slid and I made contact with the curb at a relatively low speed. The rear right wheel assembly failed and snapped, leaving the wheel assembly 90 degrees to normal. In other words, the wheel went from vertical to horizontal. Upon visual inspection, the axle snapped, and the axle's interior steel looked defective. The axle appeared very coarse, porous, and poorly consolidated. I requested to keep all the parts which are now located in storage. Both the insurance company and the Ford Motor Company dealership seemed to think the axle was defective. Nobody was injured or hurt.