What happened
At approximately 0930, a private pilot departed from Birchwood Airport in Birchwood, Alaska, traveling toward Port Alsworth via the Lake Clark pass. Before departure, the pilot had consulted two other pilots who had recently traversed the pass; both reported favorable conditions and an open pass.
As the pilot approached the exit of the pass, the aircraft encountered light snow showers and winds exceeding 45 knots. Due to the difficulty in maintaining control of the airplane under these wind conditions, the pilot decided to perform a precautionary landing in a nearby clearing.
During the descent, at an altitude of approximately 600 feet above the landing area, the pilot applied full left rudder and full left aileron but found unable to turn the aircraft to the left. The pilot then applied right aileron while maintaining full left rudder. The aircraft subsequently collided with snow-covered terrain. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot was not injured but lost consciousness during the event.
Findings
The pilot stated that there were no mechanical issues with the aircraft and attributed the accident to pilot error.