What happened
During an operation involving a landing on a glacier, a ski-equipped aircraft encountered a sastrugi feature on the surface. The impact with this uneven terrain caused immediate structural failure to the propulsion system. Specifically, the propeller attached to the left engine was torn away from the unit, and the force of the collision resulted in the entire left engine being sheared from the airframe.
Findings
- The incident occurred during the landing phase on a glacier.
- The primary cause of the damage was the impact with a sastrugi.
- There were zero fatalities and zero injuries reported among the six crew members on board.
- While the crew remained unharmed, the aircraft sustained damage that rendered it a total loss, as it was determined to be beyond repair.