Antarctic Ski-Equipped Aircraft Crash During Operation Deep Freeze I (142424)

Incident Overview and Context The aircraft, identified as an Otter, was operating as part of Operation Deep Freeze I in Antarctica. The incident occurred shortly after the aircraft had taken off. ## Operational Sequence Following takeoff, the pilot reported that the aircraft's controls were stuck. Due to this loss of control, the aircraft was unable to maintain altitude and began to descend again. ## Impact and Damage The aircraft struck the snow surface with significant force. The impact was severe enough to force both main ski struts into the fuselage, resulting in a crash landing. ## Post-Accident Actions After the crash, salvageable parts were removed from the wreckage. The remaining aircraft was left in place to float out on the sea ice.