What happened
The flight originated at Caribou Pass with the intention of reaching the Barter Island DEW Station Airport. The aircraft was configured to transport three hunters along with their equipment. The pilot noted that he had previously conducted operations in this specific region under comparable loading and environmental conditions without incident.
Departure procedures involved taking off downhill into a slight quartering headwind. The pilot utilized short-field takeoff techniques, initially extending the flaps to 20 degrees. However, shortly after becoming airborne, the aircraft struggled to gain altitude, reaching what the pilot described as the 'cutoff point' for safe flight.
In response to the poor climb performance, the pilot elected to deploy full flaps. Shortly thereafter, he initiated a 90-degree turn directed downriver. During this maneuver, the aircraft began to settle rapidly. The landing gear made contact with the terrain, causing the left main gear to fail structurally. Subsequently, the wingtip and propeller struck the ground, and the aircraft slid to a stop.