Incident Overview
A flight instructor was providing dual instruction to a student pilot, focusing on night landings. During the sixth touch-and-go landing, the instructor turned off the aircraft's landing light, initiating a no-light landing approach. The student pilot executed the landing, but the aircraft touched down to the right of the runway centerline. Before a correction could be made to steer toward the runway center, the airplane encountered deep, unplowed snow located approximately four feet inside the runway perimeter lights. The aircraft then nosed down.
Contributing Factors
The instructor and student were both unaware that the runway had not been completely plowed. According to an official flight publication, the airport is listed as unattended and unmonitored. The same publication recommends that pilots conduct a visual inspection of the runway prior to landing.
Instructor's Recommendation
The instructor subsequently recommended that no-light landings should be attempted only under ideal runway and weather conditions.
Aircraft and Location
The accident report did not specify the aircraft type, registration, or engine count. The date, time of day, weather characterization, ATC involvement, and occupant injuries or fatalities were not included in the source. No damage items were listed beyond the nose-down event.
Investigation Findings
No probable cause was stated in the source. The official flight publication's advice and the instructor's recommendation are provided for context, but no causal links or analyses were offered.