What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Attempted landing snowy field on skies. Lost visual refrence due whiteout. Struck pipeline marker pole, flipped over. (.19) on January 25, 1998, at 1100 central standard time (CST), a Piper J3C, N110RR, was substantially damaged during a collision with a pipeline marker pole during the landing rollout in a farmer's field. The instrument rated commercial pilot reported no injuries. The 14 CFR part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions were reported at the time of the accident. The flight departed eagle nest, Minnesota, at 1045 CST. (-23) pilot was attempting a landing in snow covered field on skis. During landing flare, pilot lost visual references due to the ground being all white. Aircraft drifted to the right (downwind), striking a pipeline marker at approx. 30 mph. Aircraft came to rest approx. 20 feet past pipeline pole upside down. Pilot escaped wreckage unassisted and uninjured. (.4)the pilot attempted a landing in a field at a friend's farm after a short flight from a nearby airport. The pilot stated that on approach he noted a crosswind from the left and had the '...left wing low for (the) wind.' The pilot stated the airplane drifted to the right of the centerline of the intended landing site, impacted a pipeline marker pole, and substantially damaged the airplane. The pilot stated that he 'couldn't tell (he) was drifting to (the) north because of (the) snow conditions.
As the FAA filed it
ATTEMPTED LANDING SNOWY FIELD ON SKIES. LOST VISUAL REFRENCE DUE WHITEOUT. STRUCK PIPELINE MARKER POLE, FLIPPED OVER. (.19) ON JANUARY 25, 1998, AT 1100 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME (CST), A PIPER J3C, N110RR, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A COLLISION WITH A PIPELINE MARKER POLE DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT IN A FARMER'S FIELD. THE INSTRUMENT RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE REPORTED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED EAGLE NEST, MINNESOTA, AT 1045 CST. (-23) PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A LANDING IN SNOW COVERED FIELD ON SKIS. DURING LANDING FLARE, PILOT LOST VISUAL REFERENCES DUE TO THE GROUND BEING ALL WHITE. AIRCRAFT DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT (DOWNWIND), STRIKING A PIPELINE MARKER AT APPROX. 30 MPH. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROX. 20 FEET PAST PIPELINE POLE UPSIDE DOWN. PILOT ESCAPED WRECKAGE UNASSISTED AND UNINJURED. (.4)THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A LANDING IN A FIELD AT A FRIEND'S FARM AFTER A SHORT FLIGHT FROM A NEARBY AIRPORT. THE PILOT STATED THAT ON APPROACH HE NOTED A CROSSWIND FROM THE LEFT AND HAD THE '...LEFT WING LOW FOR (THE) WIND.' THE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT OF THE CENTERLINE OF THE INTENDED LANDING SITE, IMPACTED A PIPELINE MARKER POLE, AND SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE 'COULDN'T TELL (HE) WAS DRIFTING TO (THE) NORTH BECAUSE OF (THE) SNOW CONDITIONS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.