ANC01LA036

The private certificated pilot departed a remote village on a VFR cross-country flight along the Yukon River. As the flight progressed, the pilot said he encountered fog, and descended to maintain visual contact with the ground. The airplane suddenly collided with snow-covered terrain, and received damage to the wings, fuselage, and landing gear. Weather conditions in the area were reported as 100 feet overcast, and the visibility was 1.25 statute miles.

On February 6, 2001, about 1430 Alaska standard time, a ski equipped Piper PA-12 airplane, N3334M, sustained substantial damage during a collision with snow-covered terrain, about 7 miles south-southeast of Anvik, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot received serious injuries. One passenger received minor injuries, and a second passenger was not injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the area of the accident. The flight originated at the Grayling Airport, Grayling, Alaska, about 1300.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on February 7, 2001, the pilot reported that when he departed Grayling, he set his altimeter to the field elevation of 100 feet. After departure, the pilot said the weather conditions included broken clouds at 2,000 feet, with a visibility of 3 miles. As the flight progressed southbound, the pilot said he encountered fog. He began a descent to maintain visual contact with the ground. With the airplane's altimeter indicating 400 feet, the airplane suddenly collided with terrain on the Yukon River. The airplane received damage to the wings, fuselage, and landing gear.

The closest official weather observation station is Anvik, Alaska. On February 6, 2001, at 1415, an automated weather observation system (AWOS) was reporting in part: Wind, 270 degrees (true) at 4 knots; visibility, 1.25 statute miles; clouds and sky condition, 100 feet overcast; temperature, 21 degrees F; dew point, 16 degrees F; altimeter, 30.05 inHg.