The pilot reported that, while landing on an unimproved snow covered airstrip, he touched down in a configuration on the main landing gear "for a soft field landing". He added that, at about 10-15 miles per hour, he allowed the nose wheel to settle in the snow. Subsequently, the nose wheel broke through the crusted layer of snow and the airplane "lurched" forward coming to rest inverted.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer.

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