KETCHIKAN, AK, USA
N68HA
PILATUS BRITTEN-NORMAN BN-2A-26 ISLANDER
APPROXIMATELY 3/4 OF AN HOUR AFTER DEPARTING FOR WRANGELL, ALASKA, THE PILOT OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED COMMUTER FLIGHT CONTACTED COMPANY DISPATCH APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES FROM KETCHIKAN, AND REPORTED THAT HE WAS RETURNING DUE TO WEATHER. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE PILOT COMMUNICATED WITH ANOTHER COMPANY PILOT FLYING IN THE SAME VICINITY AND BOTH PILOTS DESCRIBED THE WEATHER AT THEIR RESPECTIVE LOCATIONS AS 'MARGINAL'. WEATHER CONDITINS AT THE KETCHIKAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (18 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE CRASH SITE) AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE CHARACTERIZED BY LOW CEILINGS, MULTIPLE CLOUD LAYERS AND REDUCED (3 MILE) VISIBILITIES WITH LIGHT RAIN. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES/RISING TERRAIN AT 800 FEET MSL WHILE IN A NEAR LEVEL FLIGHT PATH HEADED EAST SOUTHEAST. RIGHT WINGTIP IMPACT SIGNATURES INDICATED A VERY SHALLOW RIGHT WING DOWN/NOSE UP ATTITUDE AT THE INITIAL TREE IMPACTS.
THE PILOT'S ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE VFR IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE UPSLOPING TERRAIN IN THE AIRCRAFT'S FLIGHT PATH AS WELL AS WEATHER CONDITIONS RESULTING IN AN OBSCURATION OF THE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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