ANC11CA020

The pilot's decision to land on unsuitable terrain, resulting in the airplane nosing over.

The pilot stated that he was landing the ski-equipped airplane on a glacier when the left ski got caught in the snow, and the airplane nosed over. The left wing and the vertical stabilizer sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The airplane was equipped with a required emergency locator transmitter (ELT), however, it was an older generation ELT that transmitted on 121.5 megahertz, not the newer, digital version that transmits on 406 megahertz. As of February 1, 2009, the search and rescue satellites that receive ELT signals no longer had the capability to receive the older analog 121.5 megahertz ELTs. The 406 megahertz ELTs are received within seconds of activation, and rescuers are notified within minutes of the accident location. In this accident, the pilot was missing for four days, but was able to hike off the glacier, where he was located by rescuers.

The pilot stated that he was landing the ski-equipped airplane on a glacier when the left ski caught in the snow, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The left wing and the vertical stabilizer sustained substantial damage. The airplane was equipped with a required emergency locator transmitter (ELT), however, it was an older generation ELT that transmitted on 121.5 megahertz, not the newer, digital version that transmits on 406 megahertz. As of February 1, 2009, the search and rescue satellites that receive ELT signals no longer had the capability to receive the older analog 121.5 megahertz ELTs. The 406 megahertz ELTs are received within seconds of activation, and rescuers are notified within minutes of the accident location. In this accident, the pilot was missing for four days, but was able to hike off the glacier, where he was located by rescuers.