Accident Sequence
While flying over a snow-covered dry lake bed, the pilot decided to drag the left main landing gear along the surface to better evaluate its condition. Upon contact, the tire encountered rapidly increasing drag, which the pilot described as "sucking the aircraft down." Attempting to abort the landing, the pilot applied full power, but the airplane continued to sink into the snow. It subsequently turned to the right and nosed over.
Damage
The fuselage and vertical stabilizer sustained substantial damage during the event. No other damage was reported.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The incident was solely attributed to the pilot's decision to drag the landing gear on the snow-covered surface.