On March 13, 1983, a Piper PA-12 (registration N3743M) was involved in an aviation accident near Coalville, UT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: deteriorating weather. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft nosed over during a precautionary landing on a private airstrip after weather deteriorated en route due to a snow storm. The pilot had received a weather briefing and chose to land to await improvement.
Incident Summary
An aircraft nosed over while performing a precautionary landing on a private airstrip. The pilot had obtained a weather briefing before departure, but conditions worsened en route due to a snow storm. The pilot decided to land on a private strip to wait for better weather.
Sequence of Events
During the landing, the airstrip appeared from the air to be sufficiently hard packed. The surface supported the aircraft as it decelerated. However, at slow speed, the right wheel sank into the snow, causing the aircraft to nose over.
Findings
The pilot had received a weather briefing prior to the flight. The decision to land was made because of deteriorating weather conditions. The airstrip was selected after an aerial survey. The right wheel sinking into the snow at low speed led to the nose-over.