What happened
The pilot was conducting an agricultural survey flight when he noticed two coyotes below. To get a closer look at the animals, the pilot maneuvered the aircraft while it was in a glide over descending terrain. While observing the wildlife out the right side of the cockpit, the main wheels touched the snow-covered ground, causing the aircraft to nose over.
The accident occurred under conditions of low overcast ceilings and snow-covered terrain. These environmental factors resulted in poor contrast with the surrounding landscape, which likely contributed to the loss of visual reference to the ground during the maneuver.
The investigation
Examination of the site indicated that the aircraft had impacted the ground while descending. The pilot reported that the maneuver was initiated specifically to observe wildlife, and the impact occurred while attention was directed outside the aircraft toward the right side.
Findings
- poor contrast between the snow-covered terrain and the sky due to low overcast ceilings
- loss of visual reference to the ground during a glide over descending terrain
- pilot distraction caused by maneuvering to observe wildlife