ANC04LA098

The airline transport certificated pilot was conducting a VFR cross-country business flight, transporting cargo and personnel to a remote airport. The accident airplane was one of two airplanes transporting supplies for a hunting/fishing company, traveling a multi-segment route. The pilot was accompanied by a pilot-rated passenger occupying the right front seat, and a second passenger seated behind the pilot. The pilot obtained a weather briefing from the FAA, which included AIRMETs for mountain obscuration, and IFR conditions due to low ceilings and visibility in smoke, light rain and mist. The pilot said that when he took off on the accident flight, the visibility was 1 to 3 miles in smoke, haze, and fog, but was VFR. He recalled hazy conditions in which he could see rolling hills and river cuts. The pilot-rated passenger was initially flying the airplane. Upon entering lowering visibility, the pilot said he reassumed control of the airplane, and attempted a 180 degree turn to clear the low visibility area, but collided with trees and crashed. The rear seat passenger reported that the accident airplane was flying about 500 to 1,000 feet above the ground because of smoke and fog. He estimated the visibility at takeoff was about 1 mile. About 30 minutes after departure, the airplane was flying over mountainous terrain, and appeared to be following a canyon. The passenger said that the visibility decreased due to fog. He said that the airplane's throw-over control yoke was initially positioned in front of the right seat, pilot-rated passenger, when suddenly a mountain ridge appeared in front of the airplane. The pilot repositioned the control yoke in front of the left seat, banked the airplane to the left, and added engine power. Within a few seconds, the passenger indicated that he felt the airplane collide with several trees and then descend to the ground. The airplane came to rest upright with extensive fuselage damage, about 1,400 feet msl. One wing was torn off the airframe. A postcrash fire consumed the wreckage. A terminal forecast for the airport of departure included few clouds at 500 feet, and visibilities as low as 3 miles in smoke and mist. The destination airport for the accident flight segment had few clouds at 100 feet, and visibilities as low as 2 1/2 miles.

History of flight

On August 27, 2004, about 1600 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped de Havilland DHC-3 airplane, N197TT, was destroyed by impact and postimpact fire when it collided with trees and mountainous terrain, about 1,400 feet msl, about 35 miles west of McGrath, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country business flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by Exousia Inc., dba Mavrik Aire, Kenai, Alaska, as a flight of two airplanes, to transport hunting camp supplies from Kenai, Alaska, to Kotzebue, Alaska. The airline transport certificated pilot, seated in the left front seat, received serious injuries. A pilot-rated passenger, seated in the right front seat, received fatal injuries, and a passenger seated behind the pilot received minor injuries. Instrument meteorological conditions consisting of mist, fog, and smoke prevailed in the area of the accident. The flight originated at the McGrath Airport about 1526, with an intended intermediate destination of Unalakleet, Alaska. No flight plan was filed, nor was one required.

The operator, who was the pilot of one of the two de Havilland DHC-3 airplanes, reported to the FAA that the intended route of flight was from Kenai, to Port Alsworth, Alaska, to McGrath, and then to Unalakleet, Alaska, Buckland, Alaska, and then to Kotzebue. The purpose of the flight was to transport equipment and company personnel to a remote hunting camp near Kotzebue. After departing Kenai, both airplanes proceeded to Port Alsworth. The operator's airplane was equipped with a turbine engine. The accident airplane was equipped with a reciprocating engine.

At 1142, the pilot of the accident airplane telephoned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Kenai Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) from Port Alsworth, and inquired about weather conditions from Port Alsworth to Kotzebue. He and the flight service station specialist discussed conditions at Sparrevohn, Alaska, Sleetmute, Alaska, McGrath, Galena, Alaska, and Kaltag, Alaska. The pilot also inquired about weather conditions along the west coast of Alaska, including Aniak, Emmonak, Unalakleet, Nome, and Kotzebue. The flight service station specialist at the Flight Data 2 position stated, "Okay, there's still smoke up there all right. Sparrevohn, winds light and variable; [visibility] five miles; ceiling 1,300 feet overcast. The specialist asked the pilot, "You want temperatures and altimeter and all that, or just the....cloud, ceiling, and visibility, Okay? The pilot replied, "that's all we need." The specialist continued, "All right, Sleetmute, [wind] calm; [visibility] ten miles; few clouds at 2,600 feet, ceiling, 4,100 feet overcast. McGrath, light and variable winds; five miles [in] light rain, mist and smoke; few clouds at 400 feet, ceiling, 2,200 feet broken, 6,000 feet overcast. Then up at Galena, that's, that's the bad spot, it...can you hear me?" (in his written statement, the specialist commented that during the briefing, he heard what sounded like loud metal grinding noise in the background.) The pilot answered, "yah."

The flight service station specialist continued his briefing by stating, "Galena, winds light and variable; [visibility] one mile in mist and smoke; indefinite ceiling at 500 feet. Out west at Kaltag, they're [visibility is] 1/2 mile in haze, ceiling, 500 feet broken, 2,100 feet overcast, so it's pretty thick."

The pilot inquired about a coastal route by stating, "What about Nome, Unalakleet, around that way?...Maybe we better go right up the beach." The specialist stated, "Aniak, their winds are northwest at six [knots], 2 1/2 miles [visibility] and we....don't have the ceiling on that's out of service. Anvik, winds north at four [knots], [visibility] four miles; ceiling, 1,200 feet overcast. At like Emmonak, over there along the coast, wind 040 [degrees] at eight [knots]; [visibility] ten miles, clear below 12,000 feet. Then Unalakleet, winds light and variable; [visibility] two miles; ceiling, 100 feet overcast." The specialist commented about the conditions by stating, "Yah and God, that's a lotta area, if that's smoke, that's a huge area...the air (unintelligible) all the way over to Unalakleet. Golovin, is clear below 12,000 feet."

The pilot was unsure where Golovin, Alaska, was located, and the specialist stated, "That's south, it's where you, right after you turn the corner [at] Norton Bay, heading towards Nome...southeast of Nome." The specialist continued by stating, "And then ah Nome, winds light and variable; [visibility] ten miles; clear below 12,000 feet. Kotzebue also, wind east at seven [knots]; [visibility] ten miles; clear below 12,000 feet, so I mean, it's supposed to be clear at Nome all day, and 20,000 fee scattered at Kotzebue, so the problem would be the in-between, you know, right along the Yukon, there or along the coast at Unalakleet,...and also getting to Aniak, past Aniak in that smoke down there."

The pilot again inquired about the conditions at McGrath. The flight service station specialist replied, "McGrath had some rain, they were carrying winds, 340 [degrees] at six [knots]; [visibility] five miles in light rain, mist, and smoke; few clouds at 400 feet; ceiling, 2,200 feet broken, 6,000 feet overcast."

The pilot commented that, "I hope to get to McGrath tonight, that would be progress anyway." The briefing was concluded at 1147.

Both airplanes departed Port Alsworth and proceeded to McGrath. The operator, in the turbine equipped airplane, arrived first.

At 1428, the pilot contacted the FAA's Flight Service Station (FSS), via radio, at McGrath. He indicated he was ten miles south for landing at McGrath. The flight service station specialist provided an airport advisory, and told the pilot that, "You have two gentlemen waiting for you up here, they'll meet you at the airplane."

At 1525, the accident pilot contacted the McGrath FSS via radio and reported he was taxiing for departure by stating, "197TT, just off the gas (unintelligible) here, ready for takeoff, and we have the info from the other guy." The FSS specialist replied, "Otter 7TT roger, and airport advisory, wind, 300 [degrees] at eight [knots], favored runway 25 or 34; altimeter, 29.78; no reported traffic; Airmets for IFR and mountain obscuration." At 1526, the pilot stated, "7TT, thanks for your help."

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), interviewed the rear seat passenger on August 29, after his arrival at a hospital in Anchorage, Alaska. He said he and the pilot-rated passenger, along with cargo, where going to a hunting camp near Kotzebue, working for Alaska Dream Quest, an outdoor hunting/fishing service provided by the operator. He reported that the accident airplane departed McGrath, headed for Unalakleet, and was flying about 500 to 1,000 feet above the ground because of smoke and fog. He estimated the visibility at takeoff was about 1 mile. About 30 minutes after departure, the airplane was flying over mountainous terrain, and appeared to be following a canyon. The passenger said that the visibility decreased due to fog. He said that the airplane's throw-over control yoke was positioned in front of the right seat, pilot-rated passenger, when suddenly a mountain ridge appeared in front of the airplane. The pilot repositioned the control yoke in front of the left seat, banked the airplane to the left, and added engine power. Within a few seconds, the passenger indicated that he felt the airplane collide with several trees and then descend to the ground. The airplane came to rest upright with extensive fuselage damage. One wing was torn off the airframe. The passenger said he then observed a fire near the front of the airplane. He and the pilot exited the airplane, but he returned to pull the right seat passenger ou