What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Sunday January 27th PIC was operating N8170C, a Piper PA-18 on straight skis east of Mcgrath on my trapline. On about the ninth off airport landing of the day at approximately 1500 hours, PIC landed on a previously unknown surface and ended up side loading the gear from the left side against a large "tussock" hidden by snow. The left landing gear folded under the aircraft, causing the left wingtip to drop into the snow and contact another hidden tussock. The throttle was at idle at the time of the gear collapse, but the propeller did stop when it contacted the snow and tundra underneath. Visible damage to the aircraft is a very slight bend on the outer 6-8 inches of the "down" blade, collapsed shock struts and cabane v between the landing gear, and left wing damage.
As the FAA filed it
ON SUNDAY JANUARY 27TH PIC WAS OPERATING N8170C, A PIPER PA-18 ON STRAIGHT SKIS EAST OF MCGRATH ON MY TRAPLINE. ON ABOUT THE NINTH OFF AIRPORT LANDING OF THE DAY AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 HOURS, PIC LANDED ON A PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN SURFACE AND ENDED UP SIDE LOADING THE GEAR FROM THE LEFT SIDE AGAINST A LARGE "TUSSOCK" HIDDEN BY SNOW. THE LEFT LANDING GEAR FOLDED UNDER THE AIRCRAFT, CAUSING THE LEFT WINGTIP TO DROP INTO THE SNOW AND CONTACT ANOTHER HIDDEN TUSSOCK. THE THROTTLE WAS AT IDLE AT THE TIME OF THE GEAR COLLAPSE, BUT THE PROPELLER DID STOP WHEN IT CONTACTED THE SNOW AND TUNDRA UNDERNEATH. VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT IS A VERY SLIGHT BEND ON THE OUTER 6-8 INCHES OF THE "DOWN" BLADE, COLLAPSED SHOCK STRUTS AND CABANE V BETWEEN THE LANDING GEAR, AND LEFT WING DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.