What happened
The aircraft nosed over while attempting to land in snowy conditions. An FAA inspector who visited the site the following day observed the aircraft positioned off the left side of the runway, embedded in the snow. Examination of the tracks indicated that the landing was executed too far to the left. This deviation allowed the left landing gear to enter unplowed, deep snow, which tripped the aircraft and caused it to roll into an inverted position.
The investigation
The FAA inspector examined the scene the day after the incident. The inspection confirmed the aircraft's final resting place off the runway centerline and identified the tracks leading to that point. These tracks provided evidence that the landing path was significantly left of the intended runway alignment, leading directly to the gear striking the unplowed snow.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to the accident was the aircraft tracking too far to the left during the landing phase. This lateral deviation resulted in the left landing gear encountering unplowed deep snow, which acted as a trip hazard and caused the nose-over. The weather conditions included snow on the ground, with portions of the runway area remaining unplowed.