What happened
Upon arriving in the vicinity of the airport, the pilot performed three flyovers of the airfield. During these passes, the pilot observed that while one end of the runway was visible, approximately three-quarters of the remaining runway surface was covered in snow. Although the snow did not appear to be deep from a visual inspection, and based on the reported wind conditions, the pilot elected to attempt a touch-and-go landing on the snow-covered portion of the runway.
As the aircraft touched down, the landing gear entered the snow, causing the airplane to nose over. The aircraft came to rest in an inverted position, resulting in damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the aircraft prior to the impact.
Findings
- The pilot reviewed the Airport Facility Directory Southwest (AFD/SW) but failed to read the "Remarks" section.
- The AFD/SW contained an entry stating that the airport was closed during the winter due to snow.
- The aircraft's landing gear encountered snow during the touchdown phase of the touch-and-go maneuver.