On 28 Nov 2010, an AVIAT AIRCRAFT INC A-1B operated by Robert Londo was involved in an aviation accident near North Bend, WA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to predetermine the depth of the snow on the runway. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A pilot performing a personal proficiency flight landed on a snow-covered runway at a remote airstrip, but the aircraft nosed over after sinking into deep snow. The pilot stated the accident was preventable with exact snow depth verification.
Accident Overview
During a local area personal proficiency flight, a pilot decided to make a full-stop landing on the snow-covered runway of a remote state airstrip. The pilot overflew the strip before landing but had not predetermined the actual depth of the snow on the surface.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that during the landing roll, the airplane sank deep enough into the snow that it decelerated at a rate resulting in it nosing over onto its back. No airplane malfunctions or anomalies were reported. The pilot further stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had not landed without first acquiring an "exact verification" of the snow depth on the runway surface.
Outcome
The aircraft nosed over during the landing roll. No further details about damage or injuries were provided in the report.