Primary finding
Probable cause
No probable cause available.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
Before departing salt lake city, ut, the pilot obtained information about the weather and destination airport at mt pleasant, ut. The weather was reported VFR and the mt pleasant municipal airport was reported open. During arrival, the pilot observed furrows of plowed snow on both sides of the runway and saw what he thought was a light covering of new snow on the furrows and runway. However, the snow on the runway was 6 inches thick and covered with a crust of ice. The pilot elected to land. After touchdown, the plane continued normally for 75 to 100 ft, then the main wheels broke through the crust and the aircraft nosed over. An investigation revealed that the airport was unmanaged and no official operations were conducted there during the winter months. Therefore, no notice of the field condition was given to the fss. Since the fss was unaware of the extent of the snow covering, no NOTAM was issued.
Source record
Factual narrative
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