On January 15, 1997, a Hefty POLAR CUB (registration N62905) was involved in an aviation accident near Anchorage, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient altitude/clearance from a snow berm during the landing. The snow berm and flat light conditions were related factors. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot and passenger landing on a frozen lake struck a snow berm created by plowing for a skating area, damaging the landing gear and right wing lift strut.
Incident Summary
During a cross-country flight, a pilot and passenger were landing on a frozen lake. The pilot reported that overcast clouds and flat lighting conditions obscured a snow berm approximately 3 feet high at the approach end of the landing area. The berm had been created by snow plowing operations to establish an ice skating area on the lake.
Damage and Outcome
As the aircraft flared for landing, the skis on the landing gear contacted the top of the snow berm. The airplane subsequently came to rest on the ice, sustaining damage to the landing gear and the right wing lift strut.
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