Tuluksak

Shortly after take off from runway 20, aircraft hit tree tops, stalled and crashed in a wooded area near the airport. Both passenger were slightly injured while the pilot was seriously injured. Aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The director of operations for the operator stated that soft field conditions and standing water on the runway slowed the airplane during the takeoff roll. The airplane did not lift off in time to clear trees at the end of the runway and sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage when it collided with the trees. The pilot reported that he used partial power at the beginning of the takeoff roll to avoid hitting standing water on the runway with full power. After passing most of the water, he applied full power, but the airplane did not accelerate like he thought it would. He recalled the airplane being in a nose-high attitude and the main wheels bouncing several times before the airplane impacted the trees at the end of the runway.

The airline transport pilot was on a Title 14, CFR Part 135 passenger flight. The pilot said during cruise flight he heard a loud bang, and the engine started running rough. He said he diverted to the nearest airport, but the engine quit completely, and he was unable to reach the runway. The airplane subsequently collided with terrain, sustaining substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. An examination of the engine revealed that a locking screw had backed out of one of the anti-vibration counterweights on the crankshaft, scoring the interior back surface of the engine case. The unsecured counterweight then moved from its position in the crankshaft, and was likely struck by the engine's master rod, which shattered the weight, and liberated it from its normal location. The liberated counterweight was struck by internal moving parts, creating several component failures, and ultimately an engine seizure.