Cessna 172 N817PS accident near Palmer, Alaska

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from snow-covered terrain while maneuvering at low altitude.

NTSB analysis

According to the pilot, while conducting a low-altitude pass over a frozen, snow-covered lake in his wheel-equipped airplane, he misjudged the airplane's height above the lake. The landing gear contacted snow, and subsequently, the left wing and propeller struck the ground, and the airplane came to rest upright. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that the accident may have been prevented if he had done a better job of evaluating the flight scenario and had properly addressed the risks involved with low-level flight over a snow-covered landscape, including the importance of recognizing visual illusions and depth perception issues associated with those conditions.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC20CA018 for the full record.