Updated: 2016-12-14 22:52:35 GMT A Kenn Borek Air Douglas DC-3T, registration C-FMKB performing a cargo flight from Antarctica to Antarctica (Antarctica), was tasked to take a fuel cache from position S79.7725 E157.7598 to a new location that did not accumulate snow. The first load was put on board and the aircraft departed looking out for a suitable new location, that was discovered about 4nm away from the original location. The aircraft was unloaded, took off and returned to the initial location to pick up the next load. The crew decided, due to the close proximity, to taxi to the new location. About 1200 meters into the taxi the left main gear collided with a snow covered hard packed snow drift and began to slowly collapse. The crew recognized what was happening, shut down the left hand engine to protect propeller and engine, the aircraft settled on its left wing.
The Canadian TSB reported that the new location was found on a patch ice on a wind swept glacier, that did not accumulate snow. Previously, the fuel drums needed to be dug out every 6 weeks due to accumulating snow, the old site had nonetheless been used for about 10 years. After the first trip to discover the new location and unload the first load the crew, on the return flight, decided to taxi to the new site once the next load had been brought on board. The crew recognized in time that the left gear was about to collapse and shut the engine down thus limiting the damage to the left main gear and wing. Another aircraft was dispatched to the location and arrived 80 minutes after the occurrence, picked up the crew and passengers and returned them to base. There were no injuries and no hazardeous materials were released.
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