Narrative:

On dec/xx/92 at PM22 ast, I departed emmonak, ak (enm) on a flight to scammon bay, ak (scm). This was to be my third trip of the day to scm. Upon leaving scm an hour previously, I estimated WX to be 1000 indefinite, 8 mi visibility. En route WX was variable from clear, 30 mi to localized snow showers with areas of indefinite ceilings 500-1500 ft and 3-15 mi. I determined WX to be satisfactory for a return trip to scm. Approaching scm from the north at 500 ft, I observed the askinuk mountains approximately 7-8 mi out. I set up a left base entry to runway 10. On left base leg I lost forward visibility and immediately executed a left 180 degree turn. While completing turn the aircraft contacted the surface, remaining airborne. Aircraft handling was found to be unimpaired, with no abnormal vibrations and normal power. Rapidly deteriorating WX at scm prevented an immediate landing. I elected to return to enm, the nearest suitable airport with ground support available. At this time I notified the company of my situation and intentions. En route back to enm I rendezvoused with another company aircraft for a visual inspection. It was determined that the left main strut was missing, and the nose strut was bent. After preparations by the ground crew were complete and emergency checklist and passenger briefings were completed, I executed an emergency landing on runway 34 at approximately PM10 ast. The landing was completed with no complications on ice and thin loose snow. The aircraft was evacuated with no injuries to passenger or crew. During the post-flight inspection it was noted that the altimeter read 210 ft high due to lowering pressure in the 2 hours from the original takeoff. I feel the contributing factors in this accident were rapidly deteriorating WX at the destination, loss of visual references and depth perception in snow over featureless snow covered terrain, as well as inaccurate altimeter readings due to lack of local altimeter setting. My statement to NTSB is attached. I feel the primary causes of this incident were complacency caused by repeated trips to the same airport and expecting WX to be as it was last time. Upon entering unexpected IFR conditions at low altitude executing 180 degree turn -- trying to maintain limited ground contact, over featureless flat snow covered terrain. In the previous calendar yr my only instrument flight time was approximately 15 mins of simulation on 135 proficiency check. Recommend pilots attempt to maintain proficiency even though they rarely flight IFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMC IN VFR FLT BY ATX PLT MAKES GND CONTACT DURING GAR PROC.

Narrative: ON DEC/XX/92 AT PM22 AST, I DEPARTED EMMONAK, AK (ENM) ON A FLT TO SCAMMON BAY, AK (SCM). THIS WAS TO BE MY THIRD TRIP OF THE DAY TO SCM. UPON LEAVING SCM AN HR PREVIOUSLY, I ESTIMATED WX TO BE 1000 INDEFINITE, 8 MI VISIBILITY. ENRTE WX WAS VARIABLE FROM CLR, 30 MI TO LOCALIZED SNOW SHOWERS WITH AREAS OF INDEFINITE CEILINGS 500-1500 FT AND 3-15 MI. I DETERMINED WX TO BE SATISFACTORY FOR A RETURN TRIP TO SCM. APCHING SCM FROM THE N AT 500 FT, I OBSERVED THE ASKINUK MOUNTAINS APPROX 7-8 MI OUT. I SET UP A L BASE ENTRY TO RWY 10. ON L BASE LEG I LOST FORWARD VISIBILITY AND IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED A L 180 DEG TURN. WHILE COMPLETING TURN THE ACFT CONTACTED THE SURFACE, REMAINING AIRBORNE. ACFT HANDLING WAS FOUND TO BE UNIMPAIRED, WITH NO ABNORMAL VIBRATIONS AND NORMAL PWR. RAPIDLY DETERIORATING WX AT SCM PREVENTED AN IMMEDIATE LNDG. I ELECTED TO RETURN TO ENM, THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT WITH GND SUPPORT AVAILABLE. AT THIS TIME I NOTIFIED THE COMPANY OF MY SIT AND INTENTIONS. ENRTE BACK TO ENM I RENDEZVOUSED WITH ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT FOR A VISUAL INSPECTION. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE L MAIN STRUT WAS MISSING, AND THE NOSE STRUT WAS BENT. AFTER PREPARATIONS BY THE GND CREW WERE COMPLETE AND EMER CHKLIST AND PAX BRIEFINGS WERE COMPLETED, I EXECUTED AN EMER LNDG ON RWY 34 AT APPROX PM10 AST. THE LNDG WAS COMPLETED WITH NO COMPLICATIONS ON ICE AND THIN LOOSE SNOW. THE ACFT WAS EVACUATED WITH NO INJURIES TO PAX OR CREW. DURING THE POST-FLT INSPECTION IT WAS NOTED THAT THE ALTIMETER READ 210 FT HIGH DUE TO LOWERING PRESSURE IN THE 2 HRS FROM THE ORIGINAL TKOF. I FEEL THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE RAPIDLY DETERIORATING WX AT THE DEST, LOSS OF VISUAL REFS AND DEPTH PERCEPTION IN SNOW OVER FEATURELESS SNOW COVERED TERRAIN, AS WELL AS INACCURATE ALTIMETER READINGS DUE TO LACK OF LCL ALTIMETER SETTING. MY STATEMENT TO NTSB IS ATTACHED. I FEEL THE PRIMARY CAUSES OF THIS INCIDENT WERE COMPLACENCY CAUSED BY REPEATED TRIPS TO THE SAME ARPT AND EXPECTING WX TO BE AS IT WAS LAST TIME. UPON ENTERING UNEXPECTED IFR CONDITIONS AT LOW ALT EXECUTING 180 DEG TURN -- TRYING TO MAINTAIN LIMITED GND CONTACT, OVER FEATURELESS FLAT SNOW COVERED TERRAIN. IN THE PREVIOUS CALENDAR YR MY ONLY INST FLT TIME WAS APPROX 15 MINS OF SIMULATION ON 135 PROFICIENCY CHK. RECOMMEND PLTS ATTEMPT TO MAINTAIN PROFICIENCY EVEN THOUGH THEY RARELY FLT IFR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.