Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a snowbank during landing, which resulted in a nose-over.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
During the landing roll of a night landing, the airplane contacted a 12-inch high snowbank on the right side of the runway and nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the rudder. The pilot reported that there was about 15 ft of unplowed snow on the right side of the runway and about 6ft of unplowed snow on the left side of the 50 ft wide runway. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.