At about 1620 Pacific time, the airplane collided with terrain, sustaining substantial damage. The private pilot received minor injuries and his passenger received serious injuries. According to the pilot, three or four minutes after takeoff, the engine started to lose power, but did not completely stop running. He therefore switched fuel tanks, checked the magnetos, activated the fuel boost pump, and switched to alternate inductions air. When none of these actions seemed to help, the pilot turned back toward the airport, but elected a forced landing on snow-covered terrain. He touched down with the landing gear extended in about three feet of snow. The impact resulted in crushing damage to the belly of the aircraft.
