Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to determine that the ice that he was taxiing on was safe for operation.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot reported that he had just landed his tail wheel-equipped airplane on a frozen lake. During the taxi to his cabin, both of the airplane's main landing gear wheels broke through overflow ice, and the airplane nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, and that the accident could have been prevented had he called a local lodge owner to check the conditions of the ice before landing.
Source record
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he had just landed his tail wheel-equipped airplane on a frozen lake. During the taxi to his cabin, both of the airplane's main landing gear wheels broke through overflow ice, and the airplane nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, and that the accident could have been prevented had he called a local lodge owner to check the conditions of the ice before landing.