What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The weather was clear and it was a ?beautiful day to fly?. PIC stated she had made 4 or 5 passes to a frozen sandbar on Beluga Lake Alaska and was making increasingly deeper marks in the snow with the landing gear (wheels) by reducing power during each attempt as she was trying to determine snow depth. On the 6th attempt she reduced power to idle. The snow was deeper than she expected, she estimated about 1 foot deep.
In a ?slow motion? The nose began to ?ease over? And there wasn?t anything she could do to stop it. She pulled the mixture full lean in an attempt to kill the engine before the propeller struck the ground. PIC also stated she thought the snow in front of the aircraft helped to ?cushion? The propeller and that?s why there wasn?t too much damage.
PIC stated the only damage she noticed was 1 propeller tip bent. PIC stated she thought there had been more damage done to the cowling during the recovery and repair process.
As the FAA filed it
THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR AND IT WAS A ?BEAUTIFUL DAY TO FLY?. PIC STATED SHE HAD MADE 4 OR 5 PASSES TO A FROZEN SANDBAR ON BELUGA LAKE ALASKA AND WAS MAKING INCREASINGLY DEEPER MARKS IN THE SNOW WITH THE LANDING GEAR (WHEELS) BY REDUCING POWER DURING EACH ATTEMPT AS SHE WAS TRYING TO DETERMINE SNOW DEPTH. ON THE 6TH ATTEMPT SHE REDUCED POWER TO IDLE. THE SNOW WAS DEEPER THAN SHE EXPECTED, SHE ESTIMATED ABOUT 1 FOOT DEEP.
IN A ?SLOW MOTION? THE NOSE BEGAN TO ?EASE OVER? AND THERE WASN?T ANYTHING SHE COULD DO TO STOP IT. SHE PULLED THE MIXTURE FULL LEAN IN AN ATTEMPT TO KILL THE ENGINE BEFORE THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND. PIC ALSO STATED SHE THOUGHT THE SNOW IN FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT HELPED TO ?CUSHION? THE PROPELLER AND THAT?S WHY THERE WASN?T TOO MUCH DAMAGE.
PIC STATED THE ONLY DAMAGE SHE NOTICED WAS 1 PROPELLER TIP BENT. PIC STATED SHE THOUGHT THERE HAD BEEN MORE DAMAGE DONE TO THE COWLING DURING THE RECOVERY AND REPAIR PROCESS.