Dillingham

Aircraft was destroyed when it impacted rising terrain about 10 miles east of Aleknagik, Alaska. The airplane was operated as Flight 51, by Alaska Central Express, Inc., Anchorage, Alaska, as an on demand cargo flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135. The airline transport certificated captain and the commercial certificated first officer sustained fatal injuries. Instrument meteorological conditions were reported in the area at the time of the accident, and the airplane was operating on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The flight had originally departed Anchorage about 0544, and made a scheduled stop at King Salmon, Alaska, before continuing on to the next scheduled stop, Dillingham, Alaska. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) personnel, as the airplane approached Dillingham, the flight crew requested the RNAV GPS 19 instrument approach to the Dillingham Airport about 0757 from controllers at the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). The ARTCC specialist on duty subsequently granted the request by issuing the clearance, with instructions to proceed direct to the Initial Approach Fix (IAF) to begin the approach, and to maintain an altitude of 2,000 feet or above. A short time later the flight crew requested to enter a holding pattern at the IAF so that they could contact the Flight Service Station (FSS) for a runway conditions report, and the ARTCC specialist granted that request. The ARTCC specialist then made several attempts to contact the aircraft, but was unsuccessful and subsequently lost radar track on the aircraft. When the airplane failed to arrive at the Dillingham Airport, ARTCC personnel initiated a radio search to see if the airplane had diverted to another airport. Unable to locate the airplane, the FAA issued an alert notice (ALNOT) at 0835. Search personnel from the Alaska State Troopers, Alaska Air National Guard, and the U.S. Coast Guard, along with several volunteer pilots, were dispatched to conduct an extensive search effort. Rescue personnel aboard an Air National Guard C-130 airplane tracked 406 MHz emergency locater transmitter (ELT) signal to an area of mountainous terrain about 20 miles north of Dillingham, but poor weather prohibited searchers from reaching the site until the next morning. Once the crew of a HH-60G helicopter from the Air National Guard's 210th Air Rescue Squadron, Anchorage, Alaska, reached the steep, snow and ice-covered site, they confirmed that both pilots sustained fatal injuries.

The airplane was parked outside on the ramp the night before the accident and was subjected to rain, snow, and temperatures that dropped below 32 degrees F. Other pilots whose airplanes were also parked outside overnight stated that about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of snow/frost covered a layer of ice on their airplanes the morning of the accident. Because of these conditions, ramp personnel deiced the accident airplane with a heated mixture of glycol and water. The PenAir ramp supervisor who conducted the deicing stated that he believed the upper surface of the wing was clear of ice but that he did not physically touch the wing to check for the presence of ice. Investigators were unable to determine whether the accident pilot visually or physically checked the wing and tail surfaces for contamination after the accident airplane was deiced. However, the airplane's high-wing configuration would have hindered the pilot's ability to see residual clear ice on the surface of the wing after the deicing procedures. Company records indicate that the certificated commercial pilot completed his initial CE-208 flight training 2 months before the accident and had accumulated a total of 74 hours in this make and model of airplane. The airplane, with the pilot and nine passengers onboard, crashed shortly after takeoff from runway 01. A witness observed that the airplane's flight appeared to be normal until the airplane suddenly pitched up, rolled 90 degrees to the left, and yawed to the left. The airplane then descended nose-down until it disappeared from view. Data from the engine monitoring system revealed that the maximum altitude obtained during the accident flight was about 651 feet mean sea level. The airplane crashed in a level attitude. Investigators found no evidence of pre-impact failures in the structure, flight control systems, or instruments. Further, examination of the engine and propeller revealed no pre-impact failures and that the engine was running when the airplane hit the ground.

The destination camp is located about 50 miles southwest of the departure lodge, and is separated by mountains with some peaks over 4,000 feet asl. The general area weather included low ceilings. The operator stated that shortly before the accident he observed the youth creek weather 'better than 400 feet...', and told the pilot that it appeared good enough to make the flight. The pilot stated that as he flew up youth creek he could see that the pass was closed by low clouds and attempted to reverse direction. The pilot stated he 'made a hard steep turn, and the airplane stalled...' the pilot said the weather was about 800 feet ceiling and visibility of 1 mile. When the pilot was admitted into the hospital immediately following the accident, he was diagnosed as having an insulin dependent diabetic condition. His medical records contain no evidence of, and the pilot denied any knowledge of, any pre-accident diabetic condition. Five passengers were killed while the pilot and a passenger were seriously injured. A day later, the survivor passenger died from his injuries.

The pilot bent down to retrieve the fire extinguisher between his feet and to replace it in the bracket located under the pilot's seat. When he looked up he saw a hill in front of the airplane. He pulled up and the airplane struck the hill but continued to fly. He pulled back on the yoke and added full power and the airplane entered the clouds. He noticed he was about to stall the airplane so he lowered the nose and the airplane immediately struck the hill again and nosed over.

The amphibious aircraft crashed as the pilot was landing on glassy water at the inlet of Nerka Lake. Subsequently, it sank and came to rest inverted in clear water on the bottom of wood river with the gear retracted and the flaps extended. Moderate rain was falling when the pilot was landing. All three occupants escaped with minor injuries.

The pilot was attempting a 180° turn to reverse direction away from lowering clouds and snow showers when the right wing dug into the snow covered terrain. The pilot stated a virtual 'white out' condition existed at the time. The pilot was uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Few minutes after takeoff from Dillingham, the single engine airplane stalled and crashed in a canyon, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

After takeoff from Dillingham Airport, while on a company ferry flight to Anchorage, the right engine surged at meto power and the crew was forced to shut it down. The decision to return was taken and the crew followed a circuit pattern then started the descent. On final approach, the airplane descended into trees and crashed in a wooded area located few hundred yards short of runway 01. The aircraft was destroyed while all three occupants escaped with minor injuries.

Few minutes after takeoff from Togiak while on a taxi flight to Dillingham, the pilot encountered foggy conditions in a valley. He attempted to make a climb turn when the airplane struck the slope of a mountain. The pilot and a passenger were killed while seven other occupants were injured. The aircraft was totally destroyed.

The single engine airplane departed Igiugig Airstrip in poor weather conditions with low clouds and a limited visibility due to snow falls. During climb, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed on the slope of a mountain. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all four occupants have been killed.