What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Flying low up glacier slope got downdraft. Descended. Collided with glacier. Winds flowing down glacier. (.4)the float equipped airplane was reported by the pilot to be in cruise flight about 800 feet above the surface of a glacier. He estimated the gross weight of the airplane at 3,312 pounds. He was flying in a up-glacier direction, in a mountainous valley. The prevailing winds at the surface were reported by the pilo to be 15 knots in a down-glacier direction. The pilot stated that the airplane began to descend rapidly, and that full power did not arrest the descent. The Cessna U206G performance charts indicate a climb rate between 915 and 1005 feet per minute given the prevailing conditions. The pilot said there were no mechanical problems with the airplane, and that he did not attempt to turn because the most favorable landing terrain was ahead of the airplane. The airplane collided with slight rising terrain, in a wings level, nose up attitude, just as the stall warning horn activated. The airplane sustained substantial damage. There were no injuries to the four occupants. (-23) airman departed elmendorf afb 6 mile lake on a flight seeing trip. Up on reaching 3050' over knik glacier, he encountered a downdraft and contacted the terrain. He stated winds on the surface were down glacier at approximately 15 knots. He added full power but was unable to arrest the descent before contact with the ground. There were no injuries, but substantial damage to the aircraft. All the airman's paperwork is in order including bfr. Mr. Hitchings is a very responsible individual and has been very cooperative in the investigation of this accident.
As the FAA filed it
FLYING LOW UP GLACIER SLOPE GOT DOWNDRAFT. DESCENDED. COLLIDED WITH GLACIER. WINDS FLOWING DOWN GLACIER. (.4)THE FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE WAS REPORTED BY THE PILOT TO BE IN CRUISE FLIGHT ABOUT 800 FEET ABOVE THE SURFACE OF A GLACIER. HE ESTIMATED THE GROSS WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE AT 3,312 POUNDS. HE WAS FLYING IN A UP-GLACIER DIRECTION, IN A MOUNTAINOUS VALLEY. THE PREVAILING WINDS AT THE SURFACE WERE REPORTED BY THE PILO TO BE 15 KNOTS IN A DOWN-GLACIER DIRECTION. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO DESCEND RAPIDLY, AND THAT FULL POWER DID NOT ARREST THE DESCENT. THE CESSNA U206G PERFORMANCE CHARTS INDICATE A CLIMB RATE BETWEEN 915 AND 1005 FEET PER MINUTE GIVEN THE PREVAILING CONDITIONS. THE PILOT SAID THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE, AND THAT HE DID NOT ATTEMPT TO TURN BECAUSE THE MOST FAVORABLE LANDING TERRAIN WAS AHEAD OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH SLIGHT RISING TERRAIN, IN A WINGS LEVEL, NOSE UP ATTITUDE, JUST AS THE STALL WARNING HORN ACTIVATED. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE FOUR OCCUPANTS. (-23) AIRMAN DEPARTED ELMENDORF AFB 6 MILE LAKE ON A FLIGHT SEEING TRIP. UP ON REACHING 3050' OVER KNIK GLACIER, HE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT AND CONTACTED THE TERRAIN. HE STATED WINDS ON THE SURFACE WERE DOWN GLACIER AT APPROXIMATELY 15 KNOTS. HE ADDED FULL POWER BUT WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE DESCENT BEFORE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, BUT SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. ALL THE AIRMAN'S PAPERWORK IS IN ORDER INCLUDING BFR. MR. HITCHINGS IS A VERY RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL AND HAS BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE IN THE INVESTIGATION OF THIS ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.