What happened
An airline transport certificated pilot was performing a downhill takeoff from a snow-covered area on a remote glacier using a ski-equipped airplane. Shortly after the aircraft became airborne, the left main landing gear ski collided with snow-covered terrain. This impact caused the left main landing gear strut to be torn from the fuselage.
The pilot subsequently performed an emergency landing on the snow. During this maneuver, the aircraft sustained additional damage to the fuselage and the left wing. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were reported as clear with unrestricted visibility. Despite the presence of 6 to 8 feet high snow drifts in the takeoff area, the location was still being utilized by local ski-equipped aircraft.
Following the event, an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal was detected by search and rescue personnel. The occupants of the aircraft were successfully located and picked up by a rescue helicopter; there were no injuries reported.