Incident Overview
A student pilot reported that he approached a privately owned rough grass airstrip and observed that it was covered with snow. After evaluating the snow's depth as being only a few inches, the pilot proceeded to land. During the rollout, the airplane decelerated quickly and nosed over. The accident resulted in the bending of the vertical stabilizer, wings, and lift struts.
Pilot's Account
Upon exiting the airplane, the student pilot ascertained that the snow depth was actually between 6 and 8 inches, contrary to his initial assessment of a few inches. The pilot had been flying without a current endorsement from his instructor.
Instructor's Statement
The student pilot's certified flight instructor reported that he had not endorsed the student's flight record logbook in over 90 days. Additionally, the instructor stated that he had not authorized the student to fly to the accident airport. The student was not current in the airplane at the time of the incident.
Damage Assessment
The airplane sustained damage to its vertical stabilizer, wings, and lift struts as a result of the nose-over during the landing rollout. No other damage was reported.