The total focusing method (TFM) is a post-processing imaging technique applied on full matrix capture (FMC) ultrasonic inspection (UT) dataset. In TFM the ultrasonic wave energy is synthetically focused on every pixel in the image region of interest (ROI). In terms of half-skip TFM (HSTFM), wave mode conversion happens when the wave rebounds at interface, such as specimen backwall. This paper aims to propose and evaluate a method that involves Snell’s law to address accurate estimation of distanceof-flight (DOF) of wave propagation when wave mode conversion appears in HSTFM. This HSTFM algorithm is applied to both experimental and simulated FMC dataset that inspects a surface-breaking notch for notch image reconstruction. Comparisons between images with and without considering Snell’s law in wave mode conversion show visible difference that could lead to misinterpretations in characterizing the defect. The sensitivity of TFM to varying defect features such as defect tilt angle is also studied using simulated FMC datasets.