What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Landed on closed airport in two foot deep snow. Snowmobile tracks on runway. (-23) on March 14, 1996 at 1500CDT a CE-172E, N3898S, registered to john william rowe of waunakee, Wisconsin sustained substantial damage from a landing at Tofte, MN. Aircraft was on a pleasure flight under part 91. The pilot was properly rated and current. No injuries, no fire. The ELT did not sound. VMC conditions prevailed. The pilot landed at Tofte, when in fact per the airport/facility directory, the airport is listed as closed indefinitely.
As the FAA filed it
LANDED ON CLOSED AIRPORT IN TWO FOOT DEEP SNOW. SNOWMOBILE TRACKS ON RUNWAY. (-23) ON MARCH 14, 1996 AT 1500CDT A CE-172E, N3898S, REGISTERED TO JOHN WILLIAM ROWE OF WAUNAKEE, WISCONSIN SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FROM A LANDING AT TOFTE, MN. AIRCRAFT WAS ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT UNDER PART 91. THE PILOT WAS PROPERLY RATED AND CURRENT. NO INJURIES, NO FIRE. THE ELT DID NOT SOUND. VMC CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE PILOT LANDED AT TOFTE, WHEN IN FACT PER THE AIRPORT/FACILITY DIRECTORY, THE AIRPORT IS LISTED AS CLOSED INDEFINITELY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.