What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft departed wamego airport (69K) on 1/20/2023 with a destination of chadron (kcdr). Due to higher than anticipated headwinds, the pilot in command (PIC) elected to divert to Grant County (1V2) to obtain fuel. Aircraft entered a left-hand traffic pattern for runway 17 at Grant County. Night VMC conditions existed at time of landing, with no NOTAMS issued for the airport. During landing rollout, the right main wheel of the aircraft contacted a snow windrow that had not been fully cleared from the runway surface. The resulting drag that occurred was unable to be overcome by the PIC, and the aircraft yawed to the right and departed runway 17 on its western edge. Once the left main wheel contacted the snow, the resulting drag from both main wheels having contact with the snow resulted in a rapid deceleration, causing the aircraft to rotate about its lateral axis, and come to rest upside down. The PIC was able to exit the aircraft via the main cabin door, and sustained no injuries. Aircraft damage includes denting of the propeller hub as well as separation of one of the three propeller blades near the hub. The rudder assembly was substantially damaged (as defined by 49 c.f.r. §830), indicated by a bending of the tubular structure near the top of the rudder, as well as the fabric skin being wrinkled. The following NOTAM was issued after the accident: !olu 01/155 1V2 rwy 17 ficon 3/3/3 90 pct 1/4 in dry sn over compacted sn plowed 50FT wid 12IN windrows OBS at 2301211833. 2301211833-2301221833.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED WAMEGO AIRPORT (69K) ON 1/20/2023 WITH A DESTINATION OF CHADRON (KCDR). DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED HEADWINDS, THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) ELECTED TO DIVERT TO GRANT COUNTY (1V2) TO OBTAIN FUEL. AIRCRAFT ENTERED A LEFT-HAND TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 17 AT GRANT COUNTY. NIGHT VMC CONDITIONS EXISTED AT TIME OF LANDING, WITH NO NOTAMS ISSUED FOR THE AIRPORT. DURING LANDING ROLLOUT, THE RIGHT MAIN WHEEL OF THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED A SNOW WINDROW THAT HAD NOT BEEN FULLY CLEARED FROM THE RUNWAY SURFACE. THE RESULTING DRAG THAT OCCURRED WAS UNABLE TO BE OVERCOME BY THE PIC, AND THE AIRCRAFT YAWED TO THE RIGHT AND DEPARTED RUNWAY 17 ON ITS WESTERN EDGE. ONCE THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL CONTACTED THE SNOW, THE RESULTING DRAG FROM BOTH MAIN WHEELS HAVING CONTACT WITH THE SNOW RESULTED IN A RAPID DECELERATION, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO ROTATE ABOUT ITS LATERAL AXIS, AND COME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN. THE PIC WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT VIA THE MAIN CABIN DOOR, AND SUSTAINED NO INJURIES. AIRCRAFT DAMAGE INCLUDES DENTING OF THE PROPELLER HUB AS WELL AS SEPARATION OF ONE OF THE THREE PROPELLER BLADES NEAR THE HUB. THE RUDDER ASSEMBLY WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED (AS DEFINED BY 49 C.F.R. §830), INDICATED BY A BENDING OF THE TUBULAR STRUCTURE NEAR THE TOP OF THE RUDDER, AS WELL AS THE FABRIC SKIN BEING WRINKLED. THE FOLLOWING NOTAM WAS ISSUED AFTER THE ACCIDENT: !OLU 01/155 1V2 RWY 17 FICON 3/3/3 90 PCT 1/4 IN DRY SN OVER COMPACTED SN PLOWED 50FT WID 12IN WINDROWS OBS AT 2301211833. 2301211833-2301221833.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.