What happened
A commercial pilot was operating an aircraft as part of a mountain flying service, tasked with delivering climbers and equipment to a glacier base camp under Title 14, CFR Part 135. During the landing roll on the glacier, the pilot initiated a left turn. During this maneuver, the right ski became loaded with snow.
As the aircraft turned, the attachment connecting the ski to the right main landing gear failed. This caused the gear leg to dig into the snow, forcing the airplane to nose down. Consequently, the right wing struck the surface of the glacier, resulting in damage to the wing and aileron. The pilot reported that there had been no issues with the aircraft or the landing gear during previous trips to the glacier earlier that day.
The investigation
An examination of the landing gear was conducted following the accident. The inspection revealed that the bolts attaching the ski had sheared.