What happened
The pilot arrived at a remote strip eleven days prior to the incident, possessing only forty hours of total experience in the make and model and six hours within the past ninety days. The runway was covered in two feet of snow, which had been plowed to a width of ten feet on half the runway at the departure end. During the ski takeoff, the airplane became prematurely airborne on the plowed berm. It nosed over when its right ski dug into the snow pile shoulder.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the conditions of the remote strip and the pilot's recent experience level. The runway surface consisted of compacted snow with a depth of two feet. Only half of the departure end had been plowed to a width of ten feet, creating a distinct berm along the edge of the cleared path.
Findings
The primary factor was the premature lift-off on the uneven surface created by the plowing operation. The pilot's limited recent experience in the specific aircraft type likely contributed to the inability to manage the takeoff roll effectively on the modified snow surface. The right ski digging into the snow pile shoulder caused the nose to drop, resulting in the nosedown attitude.
Safety message
Pilots operating from remote strips with limited infrastructure must carefully evaluate runway conditions and plowing operations. Takeoff performance calculations and visual references can be significantly altered by snow berms and uneven surfaces, requiring precise control inputs to avoid premature lift or ground contact.