20160617009389A

On June 17, 2016 at about 1018 ast (1818 gmt), Cessna 207 N91170 departed quinhagak, AK (aqh) for Goodnews, AK (gnu). After departing quinhagak, the airplane impacted terrain and was substantially damaged. The pilot in command and sole occupant was severely injured as a result of the accident. The aircraft was registered to dio air LLC and operated by renfro?s alaskan adventures inc. according to the company, the flight was being conducted under 14 CFR part 91 visual flight rules for repositioning to pick up passengers at gnu. In a statement obtained from the company?s chief pilot (cp), weather reports for the area estimated cloud ceilings to be about 700 feet with rain showers and a visibility between 4 to 10 miles.

The cp stated he was conducting a separate charter operation at gnu at or around the time of the accident. While there, he spoke with a passenger who told him he had been waiting over 1 hour for N91170 to return from the first shuttle flight to pick him up. The cp telephoned the company dispatcher located in bethel, AK (bet) to find out the location of N91170. The company dispatcher could not confirm the exact location, but told the cp that he had received a text message from the pilot of N91170 at 1018 ast (1818 gmt), and at that time the aircraft was located at aqh. The cp and company dispatcher agreed that the cp would take the waiting passenger to aqh and search for N91170 along the route. The cp departed gnu at about 1125 ast (1925 gmt) and arrived at aqh at 1155 ast (1955 gmt).

The company dispatcher and cp coordinated a search effort. Two other aircraft were dispatched from bethel to search for the missing airplane. N91170 was located by the search party at APPROXIMATELY1300 ast (2100 gmt). An Alaska national guard helicopter was dispatched to retrieve the injured pilot.

Photographs of the accident scene were obtained from thecompany. The photographs showed N91170 substantially damaged on a steep hillside. The majority of the wreckage was centrally located where the airplane came to rest. One photograph showed significant ground scoring downslope of the wreckage. Based on the photographs, the route of flight appears to have been into the direction of rising terrain. On June 19, 2016, a national transportation safety board (NTSB) investigator interviewed the pilot at the Alaska native medical center in anchorage, AK. The pilot told the investigator that he estimated the ceiling to be about 800 ft. and he was in cruise flight at 700 ft. after departing aqh, he was trying to wind his way through the backside of a mountain pass. He tried to cut across the mountains through a draw he thought went through. While maneuvering through the canyon, he came to an area that was too narrow and steep to safely turn around. He initiated a climb into the clouds and attempted to turn around. During the turn and still in the clouds, the airplane impacted the terrain. Copies of pilot training records obtained from the company showed the pilot was properly certificated; held a current medical certificate; current and qualified for the flight conducted. On June 22, 2016 an FAA inspector from anchorage, AK traveled to bet to examine maintenance records for N91170. The inspection status of N91170 was found to be current and in compliance with federal aviation regulations. The records also showed an emergency locator beacon (ELT) was installed on the aircraft, however, no signal from the ELT was reported following the accident. On June 29, 2016, the pilot contacted the FAA iic by telephone from a medical facility located in Colorado, usa. During the telephone conversation the pilot confirmed the content and accuracy of the information obtained by the NTSB investigator during the interview on June 19, 2016.