Incident Overview
A commercial pilot was transporting mountain climbers to a remote mountain glacier. The airplane, equipped with wheel-skis, was landing in deep snow. During the landing roll, the pilot felt a slight bump and subsequently stopped the airplane.
Inspection Findings
Post-landing inspection revealed that the tail ski had become buried in the deep snow during a turn. This caused the tail ski attachment bracket to break. As a result, the ski punctured the lower fuselage and damaged a structural bulkhead.
Pilot Statement
The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.