What happened
An airline transport pilot was conducting a federal public use flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when he landed a ski-equipped airplane on a glacier. During the exit from the landing area, the pilot executed a wide right-hand turn intended to maintain altitude on the slope and avoid a depression in the steeply sloping terrain.
As the tailwheel began to slide downhill, the pilot increased power to improve rudder authority and shallowed the right turn in an attempt to bypass the depression. However, as the aircraft crossed over the depression and touched down on the far side, the right main landing gear collapsed. This caused the right wing to strike the snow.
The investigation
The pilot reported that the right wing and the forward fuselage sustained structural damage following the impact. There were no known pre-accident mechanical anomalies reported with the aircraft.