Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Scammon Bay, Alaska 99662
Wednesday, April 22, 1998 11:30 AKD

A VFR cross-country air taxi flight with six passengers departed for a remote village. The pilot had previously flown along the accident route that transited a mountainous area. Low clouds were present over the mountains, and the pilot utilized a mountain pass to transit the area about 200 feet above the ground. He decided that route was not suitable for the accident flight with any passengers. During the accident flight, the pilot proceed east of the previously utilized mountain pass. The flight however, still necessitated transiting an area of low hills. As the flight was approaching the destination, snow covered terrain was rising toward low clouds over the mountains. The pilot observed what he thought was the approach end of the destination airport, and began a descent. The apparent runway was actually a creek bottom. The pilot began a turn, and observed rising terrain. He stopped the turn and applied full power. The airplane collided with rising terrain in a whiteout condition, about 900 feet msl. A passenger in the airplane reported that about 10 minutes after departure, the airplane entered an area of fog at an altitude of 3,000 feet msl. His view of the ground disappeared, and the area around the airplane was completely white. About 5 minutes after entering the fog, the airplane collided with snow covered terrain.

The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Factors in the accident were low ceilings, and whiteout conditions.