- Date
- March 22, 2020, 12:20 local (20:20 UTC)
- Place
- Soldotna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7023ECessna 175
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 29, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20200322001279A
- Case key
- 101104
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's unintentional selection of the wrong landing surface, which was covered with 2 ft of snow and resulted in a nose-over.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, on the day of the accident, about 6 inches of fresh snow covered the runway's surface. He added that, during the approach to land, he lined up with what he thought was the appropriate runway, slowed the airplane, and applied flaps. Upon touchdown, the nosewheel "dug" into the snow, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported that he had unintentionally landed on the ski strip, which had accumulated about 2 ft of snow, and not the intended runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, the day of the accident about 6 inches of fresh snow covered the surface of the airport. He added that during the approach to land, he lined up with what he thought was the appropriate runway, slowed the airplane, and applied flaps. Upon touchdown in the wheel-equipped airplane, the nose wheel "dug" into the snow, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported that he had unintentionally landed on the ski-strip which had accumulated about 24 inches of snow, and not the intended runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7023E
- Reported as
- Cessna 175 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 56523
- Built
- 1960
- Engine
- Continental GO-300, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- SXQ · Soldotna, AK
- Destination
- SXQ · Soldotna, AK
- Airport
- SXQ · Soldotna, runway 7S, 2,300 × 60 ft, snow
- Equipment
- Unknown
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 1, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 23,000 total · 200 in this make and model · 22,700 as pilot in command · 400 in the last 90 days · 120 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 34 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.48 inHg
- Observed at
- PASX
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 21, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.