What happened
During the takeoff roll on a turf runway, the aircraft swerved and subsequently nosed over. The pilot reported that the runway surface was covered with approximately two inches of crusted snow. While performing the takeoff run, the pilot attempted to follow tire tracks left in the snow by a previous aircraft. Approximately 75 yards into the roll, the pilot determined that the aircraft would not achieve flight and prepared to close the throttle and shut down the engine. At that moment, the airplane veered to the left, causing the left wingtip to drag on the ground, which resulted in the aircraft nosed over. The pilot was not injured.
Findings
An inspection of the runway surface revealed it was prone to drifting snow in various areas. The pilot noted that the accident could have been prevented if the degree of snow crusting had been inspected prior to takeoff.