What happened
The commercial certificated pilot was operating an aircraft when he attempted to land in a tundra-covered meadow. Prior to initiating the final approach, the pilot made two passes over the intended landing site to visually inspect the condition of the ground. He confirmed the area appeared suitable for landing before proceeding with the accident landing.
During the landing roll, the main landing gear tires broke through the surface of the tundra. This loss of support caused the airplane to nose over. The incident resulted in structural damage to the left wing and the left wing lift struts. The pilot noted that there were preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the physical evidence at the site and the pilot's account of the events. The primary finding was the condition of the landing surface, which failed to support the weight of the aircraft during the rollout phase.
Findings
- Tundra surface failure: The ground surface broke through under the main landing gear tires during the landing roll.
- Structural damage: The airplane sustained damage to the left wing and left wing lift struts as a result of the nose-over.
- Mechanical anomalies: The pilot reported preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane, though the specific nature of these anomalies was not detailed in the narrative.