Soft Field Touch-and-Go in Snow Leads to Wing Spar Damage

Incident Overview

A flight instructor conducting a training flight performed a low pass over a snow-covered runway to assess the snow height. The instructor then elected to demonstrate a soft field touch-and-go landing. Upon touchdown, the snow depth was greater than anticipated, causing the airplane to decelerate more rapidly than expected.

Sequence of Events

The instructor applied full power during the landing roll. The airplane then pitched forward, continuing forward on its nose wheel. It rolled to the right and left, causing both wings to strike the ground. The impact substantially damaged both main wing spars.

Additional Details

The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.