SEA04LA039

On his first touch-and-go the pilot touched down to check snow conditions, and then tried another area doing the same thing. During the second touchdown the pilot noticed the ski breaking through into water/slushy snow. The pilot then initiated a takeoff, and as soon as the airplane was off the surface the rear cable on the right ski broke, resulting in the ski pivoting so that the tip was pointing up. The pilot decided to land in the area where he had checked earlier. After setting up a slow, light touchdown on the lake, the right ski touched down and swiveled 180 degrees resulting in the aircraft nosing over, coming to rest in an inverted position. The outboard leading edge of the left wing was substantially damaged. During the annual inspection the pilot had replaced the right rear cable with a non-approved cable which he had procured from his hardware store.

On February 8, 2004, at 1445 mountain standard time, a ski equipped Piper PA-18-150 airplane, N5753Z, was substantially damaged after impacting terrain while landing near McCall, Idaho. The private pilot, sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was owned by a private individual and operated under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local personal flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight originated from the McCall Municipal Airport (MYL), approximately 1430.

In a statement provided to the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) by an FAA inspector, and according to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB form 6120.1/2), the pilot reported that this was a "check flight" in conjunction with the aircraft's annual inspection, and was conducted on skis. The pilot stated that he planned to do "touch and goes" on Payette Lake, approximately 3 miles north of MYL. The pilot reported that on his first touch-and-go he touched down to check snow conditions, and then tried another area doing the same thing. The pilot reported that during the second touchdown he noticed the ski breaking through into water/slushy snow, at which time he initiated a takeoff. The pilot stated, "As soon as I popped off [the] surface the rear cable on the right ski broke and [the] ski swiveled up with the tip pointing up. [I] decided to land right there where I had checked earlier." The pilot reported that after setting up a slow, light touchdown on the lake, "I assume that right ski pivoted too far forward, dug into the snow and [the airplane] flipped over onto its back."

An FAA inspector, who traveled to the accident site, reported the outboard leading edge of the left wing sustained substantial damage. The propeller, vertical fin, and forward tip of the right ski had also been damaged. The inspector also reported that the pilot had stated that the right rear ski cable, which had broken, had been replaced during the annual inspection, and that the cable was a non-approved part, which the pilot had procured from a hardware store.

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