20160102004889A

On January 2nd, 2016 wright air service aircraft, N540ME departed the fairbanks international airport for Anaktuvuk Pass on VFR flight plan at 1034AST with seven passengers and one pilot onboard. Passing the caribou hills the pilot stated that icing was encountered in precipitation below the clouds. The pilot also stated he was able to shed the ice from the wings and tail surface using the boots. The pilot elected at that point to descend and subsequently left icing conditions. At 11:38LST flying at aproximately 4000? N540ME entered the south side of brooks range over the john river. Near that location the pilot of N540ME stated he passed a warbelow?s navajo going in the opposite direction. This navajo departed the Anaktuvuk airport in VMC at 11:13LST. When interviewed, the pilot of the warbelow?s aircraft stated that on departure to the south from Anaktuvuk he encountered ?flat light conditions which were compounded with low visibility.? In his written statement this same pilot reported that in order to remain VMC he had to turn toward the north side of the valley as well as initiate a climb. Doing this he reported that he was able to Pass the weather quickly and that he percieved the flat light and low visibility to be highly localized. A graphic was provided by this pilot showing his track, and an area he outlined of the weather that existed on the south side of the departure corridore. Web camera imagery near the time of the accident depicts the weather as he described. This same pilot stated that once past the narrowest point (aprox 8-9 miles) from Anaktuvuk the weather was good VMC the rest of the way back to fairbanks. The pilot of N540ME stated that he received the weather for Anaktuvuk about 9 miles out and that the weather report was VMC. Estimated time that weather would have been received is 1203LST. Official weather report valid at that time for the Anaktuvuk Pass Airport was winds from the south at 3 knots, 10 miles visibility, few clouds 044, overcast clouds at 065 with an altimeter of 29.04. At 1204LST the last spider track position report was recorded for N540ME. This reported position was very near, or in the area of flat light and low visibility described by the warbelows pilot at appoximately 7.5 miles from the airport. Within 1.5 miles of N540ME?s final position report, and still within the area outlined of flat light and low visibility conditions the pilot of N540ME made a decision to turn to intercept the extended centerline of the runway. Just under two minutes later N540ME impacted the side of a mountain just west of the extended runway centerline. Power to the electric clock was cut off on impact, time indicated was 1206LST. The aircraft was in a bank of approximately 30 degrees when it hit the top of a crest right wing first followed by a series of hits as it slid down the mountain side where it came to rest about 120 yards up the side of the mountain. Both wings were seperated from the fuselage but remained mostly intact at the wreckage site. Propeller and engine also departed the aircraft. The engine was under the left wing and the propeller was up the mountain about 40 yards. Of the eight souls on board five received serious injuries.