What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was conducting ski operations on harvard glacier. The pilot had conducted operations successfully number of times at this location, the most recent was the week prior. Due to deep snow the pilot was unable to get sufficient airspeed for takeoff off the glarier and aborted the takeoff. On the return to the departure point, the aircraft ski sunk into an unseen hole in the snow. This caused the ski to fold under the aircraft and damaged both wing struts. No other damage detected. The aircraft was removed from the glacier by helicopter and returned to Girdwood. Aircraft is waiting for insurance to inspect for any further damage and then repairs will be made. The pilot/owner stated that only minor damage had happen and believes the repairs will be quick. The pilot has 6500 total time with 550 hours in this aircraft. He had already logged 2.5 that day before the incident.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS CONDUCTING SKI OPERATIONS ON HARVARD GLACIER. THE PILOT HAD CONDUCTED OPERATIONS SUCCESSFULLY NUMBER OF TIMES AT THIS LOCATION, THE MOST RECENT WAS THE WEEK PRIOR. DUE TO DEEP SNOW THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO GET SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED FOR TAKEOFF OFF THE GLARIER AND ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. ON THE RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE POINT, THE AIRCRAFT SKI SUNK INTO AN UNSEEN HOLE IN THE SNOW. THIS CAUSED THE SKI TO FOLD UNDER THE AIRCRAFT AND DAMAGED BOTH WING STRUTS. NO OTHER DAMAGE DETECTED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE GLACIER BY HELICOPTER AND RETURNED TO GIRDWOOD. AIRCRAFT IS WAITING FOR INSURANCE TO INSPECT FOR ANY FURTHER DAMAGE AND THEN REPAIRS WILL BE MADE. THE PILOT/OWNER STATED THAT ONLY MINOR DAMAGE HAD HAPPEN AND BELIEVES THE REPAIRS WILL BE QUICK. THE PILOT HAS 6500 TOTAL TIME WITH 550 HOURS IN THIS AIRCRAFT. HE HAD ALREADY LOGGED 2.5 THAT DAY BEFORE THE INCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.