The pilot flew a low-altitude approach over a snow-covered runway at the airport in Weidman, Michigan. During the approach his depth perception was degraded from the bright sunlight that reflected off of the snow.
The Piper Cub’s landing gear hit the snow and the airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer.
The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain during a low approach over a snow-covered runway. Contributing to the accident was the loss of depth perception due to the bright sunlight and snow.
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This February 2021 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
