Wind, mechanical problems and human errors likely contibuted to the derailment of a chairlift at Sugarloaf Mountain Resort last December, according a state report issued today.

The chief inspector for the Maine Elevator and Tramway Safety Board submitted an eight-page report late Friday, more than five months after a section of the 35-year-old Spillway East lift collapsed. The derailment dropped five chairs about 30 feet to the snow, sending eight skiers to area hospitals and forcing the evacuation of about 150 other skiers from the disabled lift.

“We were not able to determine the exact cause” of the accident, the report says. But it lists a number of training and maintenance factors in addition to the gusty winds that were cited as a factor by Sugarloaf employees after the accident.

Inadequate training of lift mechanics, worn, misaligned and loose lift components and an improper attempt to fix the lift just before the derailment all contributed to the accident, according to the report.

The report does not include any recommendations for Sugarloaf or the Tramway Board, although board members are expected to discuss the findings.

Sugarloaf is already in the process of removing and replacing the Spillway East lift with a new, larger chair lift.

John Diller, general manager of Sugarloaf, issued a statement today saying the resort also has  updated training and maintenance procedures to address the problems cited in the report. In addition, the resort will replace older components on two of its other chairlifts as a precautionary measure, he said.

At least three injured skiers are now represented by a Lewiston-based attorney who has been monitoring the investigation.