What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Intended low pass to check runway. Gear down. Full flaps. Impacted snow short of runway. (-23) the private pilot of this BE-V35A-TC entered the traffic pattern at the Pembina, ND airport during light snow fall that limited visibility to an estimated 3 to 5 miles. During the final approach no terrain differentation was observed due to snow covering the ground. The pilot reported that he had identified the runway initially while over the airport and was intending to do a low pass over the runway to assure identification. The runway WA plowed full width but was snow covered. During the attempted low pass the pilot descended in a level attitude into the snow covered terrain. No injuries resulted and substantial damage was incurred by the aircraft. privacy data omitted
As the FAA filed it
INTENDED LOW PASS TO CHECK RUNWAY. GEAR DOWN. FULL FLAPS. IMPACTED SNOW SHORT OF RUNWAY. (-23) THE PRIVATE PILOT OF THIS BE-V35A-TC ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT THE PEMBINA, ND AIRPORT DURING LIGHT SNOW FALL THAT LIMITED VISIBILITY TO AN ESTIMATED 3 TO 5 MILES. DURING THE FINAL APPROACH NO TERRAIN DIFFERENTATION WAS OBSERVED DUE TO SNOW COVERING THE GROUND. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD IDENTIFIED THE RUNWAY INITIALLY WHILE OVER THE AIRPORT AND WAS INTENDING TO DO A LOW PASS OVER THE RUNWAY TO ASSURE IDENTIFICATION. THE RUNWAY WA PLOWED FULL WIDTH BUT WAS SNOW COVERED. DURING THE ATTEMPTED LOW PASS THE PILOT DESCENDED IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE INTO THE SNOW COVERED TERRAIN. NO INJURIES RESULTED AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS INCURRED BY THE AIRCRAFT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.