NTSB Factual Report

On March 4, 2001, at 1330 central standard time, a Cessna 170B, N2577D, piloted by a commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage during an in-flight collision with terrain during a takeoff from a frozen lake near South Haven, Minnesota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and was not on a flight plan. The pilot and his two passengers reported no injuries. The flight was departing at the time of the accident and had the intended destination of Forest Lake, Minnesota.

According to the pilot's written statement, "Taking off lake on skis. Snow was sticky - take off run was long - got airborne - couldn't climb above approaching trees - elected to turn left and land on lake." The pilot reported, "Hit the snow with the left wing tip - couldn't straighten flight path - ski on right hit snow with side load & ripped off under plane with the whole gear[.]" The pilot stated that the airplane came to rest approximately 120-feet from where the wingtip impacted terrain.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from the terrain during the maneuver to avoid the tree line. Factors to the accident were the diminished aircraft handling, the pilot's maneuver to avoid the tree line, the unsuitable terrain for takeoff selected by the pilot, the snow covered lake, and the tree line.