ANC04LA013

The solo private certificated pilot was landing a wheel-equipped airplane during dark night light conditions. The pilot reported that while landing on a lighted, 2,200 foot long by 70 foot wide snow-covered, gravel airstrip, he inadvertently touched down in the overrun area, about 50 feet short of the runway's threshold. As the airplane's main wheels touched down in the deep snow that covered the overrun area, the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained structural damage to the rudder.

On December 8, 2003, about 0856 Alaska standard time, a wheel-equipped Taylorcraft BC12-D airplane, N44047, sustained substantial damage when it landed short of the runway, and nosed over in deep snow at the Lake Hood Airstrip, Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo private certificated pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the accident airstrip about 0840.

During a brief on-scene conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on December 8, about 0915, the pilot reported that while landing on runway 31, a lighted, 2,200 foot long by 70 foot wide snow-covered, gravel airstrip, he inadvertently touched down in the overrun area, about 50 feet short of the runway's threshold. He said that as the airplane's main wheels touched down in the deep snow that covered the overrun area, the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained structural damage to the rudder.

During a follow-up telephone interview with the NTSB IIC on December 9, the pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane, but added that the runway overrun area appears to have been elevated and sloped towards the runway threshold. He said that the deep snow covering the overrun area added to its overall height.

The accident occurred during dark night light conditions; civil twilight for Anchorage began at 0858.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Compliance Safety Officer, there were no landing approach obstructions to runway 31 at the time of the accident. A copy of the FAA Safety Officer's report is included in the public docket for this accident.