What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot stated that he and a second aircraft were flying over anderson ranch reservoir in an attempt to observe the snow condition and water level of the reservoir. Pilot stated that he thought he was approximately 300' above the surface of the reservoir on a right downwind for rwy 34 at the Pine airstrip. Aerial photo evidence taken the following day indicates that the aircraft's two main tires were in contact with the snow for an undetermined length prior to the aircraft nosing over and continuing in a straight line, during which time the left wing impacted the snow followed by the right wing impacting the snow. The aircraft came to rest upright on the ice with the left wing separated from the fuselage and folded up over the cabin. Note: Pine airstrip elevation is 4232' MSL. Current water level of anderson ranch is 4141' MSL.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT STATED THAT HE AND A SECOND AIRCRAFT WERE FLYING OVER ANDERSON RANCH RESERVOIR IN AN ATTEMPT TO OBSERVE THE SNOW CONDITION AND WATER LEVEL OF THE RESERVOIR. PILOT STATED THAT HE THOUGHT HE WAS APPROXIMATELY 300' ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE RESERVOIR ON A RIGHT DOWNWIND FOR RWY 34 AT THE PINE AIRSTRIP. AERIAL PHOTO EVIDENCE TAKEN THE FOLLOWING DAY INDICATES THAT THE AIRCRAFT'S TWO MAIN TIRES WERE IN CONTACT WITH THE SNOW FOR AN UNDETERMINED LENGTH PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT NOSING OVER AND CONTINUING IN A STRAIGHT LINE, DURING WHICH TIME THE LEFT WING IMPACTED THE SNOW FOLLOWED BY THE RIGHT WING IMPACTING THE SNOW. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT ON THE ICE WITH THE LEFT WING SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AND FOLDED UP OVER THE CABIN. NOTE: PINE AIRSTRIP ELEVATION IS 4232' MSL. CURRENT WATER LEVEL OF ANDERSON RANCH IS 4141' MSL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.