DEN01LA038

The pilot was planning to practice landings on a snow covered field near his home. He said there was 2 to 3 inches of snow at his house, but he did not check the snow conditions in the field before the flight. The pilot said he was flying low over the field, dragging one tire in the snow. The crust covering the snow broke, and the tire was pulled into the snow. The airplane nosed over to the inverted position.

On January 4, 2001, at approximately 1500 mountain standard time, an Aviat A-1A, N26HV, was substantially damaged while attempting a landing on a snow covered alfalfa field near Eden, Utah. The airline transport pilot, the sole occupant in the airplane, was not injured. The owner/pilot was operating the airplane under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country personal flight that originated from Ogden, Utah, approximately 30 minutes before the accident. The pilot had not filed a flight plan.

The pilot said that he departed Ogden to practice landings on a snow covered alfalfa field near his home. He said that the snow at his home was 2 to 3 inches deep; however he did not check the snow conditions in the field before the flight. The pilot said he was flying low over the field, "dragging one tire [tundra tire] in the snow." He said that the snow had a crust on it, and when the tire broke through the crust, it got "pulled down" into the snow. The airplane subsequently nosed over onto its back. The left wing spar, the two wing struts, and the rudder were bent.