What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) At approx. 15:30 local time, aircraft registration number N85393, a 1946 aeronica champ, piloted by privacy data omitted, departed canton airport, identifier ID2, on a westerly heading. The pilot stated he had carburetor heat on, and was flying at approx. 1000 feet AGL. At approx. 15 miles west of canton, the engine on his aircraft sputtered, and he noticed a loss of power from about 2000 RPM, to about 1750 RPM. The pilot stated he turned off carburetor heat, noticed an increase in power, and then turned carb heat back on. At this point, his engine sputtered again, and the pilot noticed a grass runway, off his right hand wing. The pilot stated he made a decision to land on this strip, and executed a 270 degree turn to the left, and rolled out on the runway heading, which was north. He observed that he could see grass thru the snow cover, and slowed his aircraft to 45 mph for approach. As his main gears touched down, the snow was actually deeper than he thought it was. Immediately, his aircraft pitched over, and his prop started striking the ground. This caused the aircraft to pitch over farther, the left wing striking the ground first. The aircraft came to a rest on its roof. The pilot exited aircraft first, then assisted the rear seat occupant. Both souls were wearing seatbelts or harnesses, and experienced no, or minor injuries. The pilot stated that his aircraft was kept hangared, and he preheated the aircraft with a ceramic heater before exiting his hangar. He also stated he performed a preflight, and checked the fuel for moisture containation, and found none. His last flight had been on dec 22, 2007, and he had topped his fuel off upon landing.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AT APPROX. 15:30 LOCAL TIME, AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION NUMBER N85393, A 1946 AERONICA CHAMP, PILOTED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, DEPARTED CANTON AIRPORT, IDENTIFIER ID2, ON A WESTERLY HEADING. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD CARBURETOR HEAT ON, AND WAS FLYING AT APPROX. 1000 FEET AGL. AT APPROX. 15 MILES WEST OF CANTON, THE ENGINE ON HIS AIRCRAFT SPUTTERED, AND HE NOTICED A LOSS OF POWER FROM ABOUT 2000 RPM, TO ABOUT 1750 RPM. THE PILOT STATED HE TURNED OFF CARBURETOR HEAT, NOTICED AN INCREASE IN POWER, AND THEN TURNED CARB HEAT BACK ON. AT THIS POINT, HIS ENGINE SPUTTERED AGAIN, AND THE PILOT NOTICED A GRASS RUNWAY, OFF HIS RIGHT HAND WING. THE PILOT STATED HE MADE A DECISION TO LAND ON THIS STRIP, AND EXECUTED A 270 DEGREE TURN TO THE LEFT, AND ROLLED OUT ON THE RUNWAY HEADING, WHICH WAS NORTH. HE OBSERVED THAT HE COULD SEE GRASS THRU THE SNOW COVER, AND SLOWED HIS AIRCRAFT TO 45 MPH FOR APPROACH. AS HIS MAIN GEARS TOUCHED DOWN, THE SNOW WAS ACTUALLY DEEPER THAN HE THOUGHT IT WAS. IMMEDIATELY, HIS AIRCRAFT PITCHED OVER, AND HIS PROP STARTED STRIKING THE GROUND. THIS CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO PITCH OVER FARTHER, THE LEFT WING STRIKING THE GROUND FIRST. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A REST ON ITS ROOF. THE PILOT EXITED AIRCRAFT FIRST, THEN ASSISTED THE REAR SEAT OCCUPANT. BOTH SOULS WERE WEARING SEATBELTS OR HARNESSES, AND EXPERIENCED NO, OR MINOR INJURIES. THE PILOT STATED THAT HIS AIRCRAFT WAS KEPT HANGARED, AND HE PREHEATED THE AIRCRAFT WITH A CERAMIC HEATER BEFORE EXITING HIS HANGAR. HE ALSO STATED HE PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT, AND CHECKED THE FUEL FOR MOISTURE CONTAINATION, AND FOUND NONE. HIS LAST FLIGHT HAD BEEN ON DEC 22, 2007, AND HE HAD TOPPED HIS FUEL OFF UPON LANDING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.