What happened
The pilot was conducting an inbound approach to the airport and monitored the Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS), which reported winds from 350 degrees at 10 knots. Upon contacting the control tower, the wind data indicated a slight decrease in speed, with winds from 350 degrees at 6 knots. The controller cleared the pilot to land on any available runway. The pilot elected to use Runway 15 rather than Runway 33, citing an uphill slope on Runway 15 as a favorable factor for stopping distance.
As the aircraft descended to approximately 75 feet above ground level (AGL), it encountered turbulence accompanied by a downdraft or wind shear. The pilot applied additional power in response. The aircraft initially touched down in a three-point attitude but became airborne again, reaching an altitude of about 30 feet AGL. Assessing that sufficient runway remained, the pilot continued the landing attempt.
Shortly after this second touchdown, the aircraft encountered further turbulence. A gust of wind was also noted during this phase. The aircraft subsequently departed the side of the runway and entered snow-covered terrain, where it came to rest in a nose-over position.
The investigation
The examination of the accident site revealed that the aircraft had left the paved surface due to the combination of aerodynamic disturbances and ground conditions. The presence of snow on the terrain adjacent to the runway likely contributed to the loss of directional control and the subsequent nose-over attitude upon stopping.
Findings
Contributing factors to the accident included:
- Encounter with turbulence and a downdraft or wind shear during the final approach phase.
- The decision to continue the landing after becoming airborne again at low altitude.
- Adverse weather conditions, specifically gusty winds and snow-covered terrain off the runway side.
The pilot's choice of Runway 15 was based on its uphill gradient, but the aerodynamic instability encountered near the ground proved critical. The subsequent loss of control occurred after the aircraft had already touched down and become airborne a second time, leading to an overrun onto soft, snow-covered ground.