What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft departed Kalskag, AK (palg) airport sometime between 1615 - 1630 ast. Airman stated the weather prior to takeoff from palg was 1/4 mile visibility and light snow. After takeoff the aircraft cleared the trees and leveled off at approximately 300' MSL. The weather immediately deteriorated to heavy snow and the airman stated the windshield was fogging up. Due to the weather, the airman decided to fly lower than normal and attempt to follow the river to aniak, AK. It appears the aircraft was flown into the frozen river causing significant damage to the aircraft. There were two passengers on-board at the time of the accident. The passsenger seated in the back of aircraft was apparently thrown out of aircraft at impact causing serious injuries.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KALSKAG, AK (PALG) AIRPORT SOMETIME BETWEEN 1615 - 1630 AST. AIRMAN STATED THE WEATHER PRIOR TO TAKEOFF FROM PALG WAS 1/4 MILE VISIBILITY AND LIGHT SNOW. AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT CLEARED THE TREES AND LEVELED OFF AT APPROXIMATELY 300' MSL. THE WEATHER IMMEDIATELY DETERIORATED TO HEAVY SNOW AND THE AIRMAN STATED THE WINDSHIELD WAS FOGGING UP. DUE TO THE WEATHER, THE AIRMAN DECIDED TO FLY LOWER THAN NORMAL AND ATTEMPT TO FOLLOW THE RIVER TO ANIAK, AK. IT APPEARS THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN INTO THE FROZEN RIVER CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THERE WERE TWO PASSENGERS ON-BOARD AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PASSSENGER SEATED IN THE BACK OF AIRCRAFT WAS APPARENTLY THROWN OUT OF AIRCRAFT AT IMPACT CAUSING SERIOUS INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.