Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's preflight planning/preparation in accessing the available runway length and snow conditions. Factors relating to the accident were the snow bank and the pilot in command's lack of familiarity with skiplane operations.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot had arrived at the remote strip 11 days earlier having 40 hours total experience in make and model and 6 hours in past 90 days. The snow with a depth of 2 feet had been plowed 10 feet wide on half the runway at the departure end. During the ski takeoff the airplane became prematurely airborne on the plowed berm and nosed over when its right ski dug into the snow pile shoulder.
Source record
Factual narrative
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