What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Facts gathered for this narrative were derived from the passenger (pax) on the flight. The pilot in command (PIC) was fatality injured in this accident.
Flight was operated under 14 CFR part 135 with intended purpose to retrieve water/snow monitoring equipment. PIC duty day began at approximately 0900 hours. Several flights conducted during the duty day, pilot obtained weather info utilizing computerized weather sources. At 1900 hours the PIC checked weather and decided to depart to pick up more equipment. Prior to accident flight PIC contacted deadhorse AK flight service to file flight plan. At that time PIC reported to deadhorse that weather at his location was 500 feet or so with 3-5 miles visibility. Plane departed last location at approximately 2200 hours intending to land at the north slope borough rescue (nsbr) cabin to pick up more equipment. Pax remembers seeing 800 feet on altimeter enroute to the nsbr cabin and as they approached the cabin pax recalls seeing 300-400 feet as they looked for a place to land. No viable landing site was found so the PIC decided to head back to original departure point. Pax stated just before accident he remembers looking at the altimeter and seeing 200-300 feet. The PIC made a left hand turn, the next thing the pax remembers is the aircraft hitting the ground. Pax stated that prior to accident he could make out terrain and objects on the ground but it was tough to discern ground from horizon.
The pax stated their day started that morning at 0900 and the accident occurred at approximately 2200. While flying did not occur much of the day it is my opinion fatigue played some role in the accident.
As the FAA filed it
FACTS GATHERED FOR THIS NARRATIVE WERE DERIVED FROM THE PASSENGER (PAX) ON THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) WAS FATALITY INJURED IN THIS ACCIDENT.
FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR PART 135 WITH INTENDED PURPOSE TO RETRIEVE WATER/SNOW MONITORING EQUIPMENT. PIC DUTY DAY BEGAN AT APPROXIMATELY 0900 HOURS. SEVERAL FLIGHTS CONDUCTED DURING THE DUTY DAY, PILOT OBTAINED WEATHER INFO UTILIZING COMPUTERIZED WEATHER SOURCES. AT 1900 HOURS THE PIC CHECKED WEATHER AND DECIDED TO DEPART TO PICK UP MORE EQUIPMENT. PRIOR TO ACCIDENT FLIGHT PIC CONTACTED DEADHORSE AK FLIGHT SERVICE TO FILE FLIGHT PLAN. AT THAT TIME PIC REPORTED TO DEADHORSE THAT WEATHER AT HIS LOCATION WAS 500 FEET OR SO WITH 3-5 MILES VISIBILITY. PLANE DEPARTED LAST LOCATION AT APPROXIMATELY 2200 HOURS INTENDING TO LAND AT THE NORTH SLOPE BOROUGH RESCUE (NSBR) CABIN TO PICK UP MORE EQUIPMENT. PAX REMEMBERS SEEING 800 FEET ON ALTIMETER ENROUTE TO THE NSBR CABIN AND AS THEY APPROACHED THE CABIN PAX RECALLS SEEING 300-400 FEET AS THEY LOOKED FOR A PLACE TO LAND. NO VIABLE LANDING SITE WAS FOUND SO THE PIC DECIDED TO HEAD BACK TO ORIGINAL DEPARTURE POINT. PAX STATED JUST BEFORE ACCIDENT HE REMEMBERS LOOKING AT THE ALTIMETER AND SEEING 200-300 FEET. THE PIC MADE A LEFT HAND TURN, THE NEXT THING THE PAX REMEMBERS IS THE AIRCRAFT HITTING THE GROUND. PAX STATED THAT PRIOR TO ACCIDENT HE COULD MAKE OUT TERRAIN AND OBJECTS ON THE GROUND BUT IT WAS TOUGH TO DISCERN GROUND FROM HORIZON.
THE PAX STATED THEIR DAY STARTED THAT MORNING AT 0900 AND THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 2200. WHILE FLYING DID NOT OCCUR MUCH OF THE DAY IT IS MY OPINION FATIGUE PLAYED SOME ROLE IN THE 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.