DEN02LA032

The airplane was being ferriedcross-country. The weather was deteriorating so the pilot opted to land short of his intended destination. He was cleared to land on runway 26. The pilot said "with the snow on the sides of the runway I was unable to discern the runway alignment." During touchdown, the airplane bounced and veered to the right. He attempted to correct by using left rudder and brake. He said the "brakes were pressed to[o] hard," and the airplane nosed over, crushing the vertical stabilizer and engine cowling. The ribs in the top wing were substantially damaged.

On April 21, 2002, approximately 0725 mountain daylight time, a Boeing E75, N68463, owned and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during landing at the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Airport. The airline transport pilot and airline transport pilot rated-passenger was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated in Laramie, Wyoming, approximately 0645, and was en route to Sidney, Nebraska.

According to the pilot's written report, he and a friend were ferrying the recently purchased airplane to Michigan. Due to deteriorating weather, he elected to land at Cheyenne. The tower controller cleared him to land on runway 26. The pilot said, "With the snow on the sides of the runway, I was unable to discern the runway alignment." Upon touching down, the airplane bounced and then veered to the right. The pilot attempted to correct by using left rudder and braking. He said the "brakes were pressed to[o] hard" and the airplane nosed over, crushing the vertical stabilizer and engine cowling. The ribs in the top wing were substantially damaged.