WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN, USA
N3854M
PIPER PA-12
THE PILOT STATED WHEN HE LANDED ON THE SNOW-COVERED AIRSTRIP, IT APPEARED THE SNOW WAS 'HARD PACKED.' HE REPORTED AS THE AIRPLANE DECELERATED, IT BEGAN TO SINK INTO THE SNOW, THEN NOSED OVER. HE STATED: 'IN THE THIRTY EIGHT YEARS OF FLYING THIS IS MY FIRST ACCIDENT. SOMETIMES WE MAKE BAD DECISIONS AND THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE TIMES.' FAA PERSONNEL REPORTED 8 INCHES OF SNOW ON THE RUNWAY.
THE PILOT SELECTED UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING. THE SNOW COVERED RUNWAY WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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