Incident Summary
A pilot decided to land on a snow-covered road after his back began to ache from wearing a life vest during the flight. The pilot selected a road and performed three low passes, each time rolling the aircraft's wheels along the surface to assess the depth and softness of the snow. Concluding that the snow was approximately six inches deep and soft enough for landing, the pilot attempted a full-stop landing on the tracks made during the previous passes.
Sequence of Events
During the landing roll, the aircraft broke through a crusted layer of snow. The wheels then penetrated the snow to about 18 inches. As the aircraft broke through the crust, the pilot began to add power in an attempt to go around, but the main wheels dug into the snow, causing the aircraft to nose over onto its back.
Pilot's Remarks
In a post-accident telephone interview, the pilot stated that he had radio contact with individuals on the ground who could have reached the area he chose to land at in less than five minutes. He further stated that after the accident he realized it would have been wise to ask those individuals to check the snow depth at the landing site before attempting to land there.