What happened
The pilot-in-command selected an old oil company airstrip for landing purposes. The facility had been plowed and measured 10,000 feet in length by 200 feet in width. Rather than utilizing the full length of the runway, the pilot decided to use only the southeastern 2,000 feet of the strip.
Prior to the final approach, the pilot conducted six overflights of the airstrip. During these passes, he did not observe any berms located on the southeastern end of the landing area. Upon touchdown, the aircraft's landing gear struck a berm that had been missed during the visual inspections. The impact caused the airplane to nosed over.
The investigation
The examination focused on the condition of the airstrip and the pilot's decision-making process regarding the use of a plowed, unmarked surface. The investigation confirmed that the airstrip was an old oil company facility that had been plowed, rendering standard visual cues for runway edges or obstacles less distinct.
Findings
The primary contributing factor to this accident was the failure to identify a berm on the southeastern end of the airstrip during six overflights. The pilot elected to land on a surface that was not maintained as a standard airport facility, relying on visual assessment which proved insufficient to detect the obstacle.
failure to see a berm