Incident Overview
A pilot reported that two days before the accident, snow had accumulated on the wings of the airplane while it was parked in an open-front hangar. The following day, temperatures rose, and the pilot believed the snow melted and ran rearward to the aileron gap and hinge locations, where it refroze overnight.
On the day of the accident, the pilot was in a hurry to use the airplane to check his pastures. He brushed the snow off the wings but did not perform a thorough preflight inspection. Specifically, he did not check the freedom of movement of the ailerons.
Sequence of Events
After takeoff, the airplane began turning to the left. The pilot attempted to correct the turn but reported no response from the controls. Looking out at the wings, he observed that the ailerons were not responding to control inputs as they should. During his attempts to regain control, the airplane descended into trees.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no defects that were determined to have existed prior to the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the tail surfaces.