Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s loss of directional control while dragging the surface of an ice- and snow-covered lake in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in an impact with a tree.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
According to the pilot, he was dragging the surface of an ice- and snow-covered lake in his wheel and ski- equipped airplane near the shoreline to determine the snow conditions. Subsequently, a gust of wind pushed the airplane into a tree located on a spit of land. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations. In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that the accident may have been prevented if he had done a better job of evaluating the conditions from the air or conducted operations directly into the wind.