What happened
During an approach to the SP-3 Polar Station, an unidentified aircraft encountered heavy fog, which significantly reduced visibility. While maneuvering for landing, the aircraft descended below the safe altitude and struck a ridge of hummocked ice.
The force of the collision caused the skis to be stripped from the landing gear. Following this impact, the plane performed a belly landing on the ice surface before coming to a complete stop. There were no fatalities or injuries reported among the occupants during the incident.
Findings
- The primary factor in the accident was the aircraft's low altitude relative to the terrain.
- Dense fog conditions contributed to the pilot's inability to clear the ice ridge.
- The structural damage to the landing gear, specifically the loss of the skis, rendered the aircraft unserviceable, and it was not repaired following the event.