What happened
A commercial certificated pilot was conducting a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91, maneuvering over a remote, snow-covered area. The mission involved checking trap lines using a ski-equipped aircraft. Throughout the day, the pilot had been accompanied by a second airplane. During the flight, the pilot announced his intention to land and reset a trap, while the second aircraft continued toward a remote cabin where they had planned to rendezvous.
When the pilot failed to arrive at the meeting point, the second aircraft searched the area and located the burning wreckage. Search and rescue personnel arrived at the scene and transported the pilot to a hospital. The pilot sustained injuries but was not injured in a fatal manner; however, he reported that while he remembered circling his intended landing area, he had no memory of the actual impact.
The investigation
Examination of the wreckage via photographs showed that the aircraft collided with the snow in a near-level attitude with very little forward movement. The impact resulted in upward crushing of the wings and the fuselage. Specifically, the right wing was displaced forward from its normal position and exhibited aft leading edge crushing on the outboard half of the wing. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions regarding the engine or flight controls.