According to the pilot, while conducting a low altitude pass over a frozen, snow-covered lake in his wheel-equipped airplane, he misjudged the airplane's height above the ground. The airplane's landing gear contacted the snow and the airplane descended. Subsequently, the left wing and propeller struck the ground and the airplane came to rest upright on the snow-covered terrain, sustaining substantial damage to the left wing.

The pilot stated there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that the accident may have been prevented if he had done a better job of evaluating the flight scenario and had properly addressed the risks involved with low level flight over a snow covered landscape. In addition to, the visual illusions associated with those conditions.