Incident Overview
The aircraft was on a flight from Aniak to Nyac, Alaska. The pilot had attempted the same journey the previous day but returned to Aniak due to weather conditions. During the accident flight, the aircraft collided with a tree near the destination airport at Nyac, resulting in a crash.
Weather Conditions
According to a resident of Nyac, the weather at the time of the accident was characterized by snow and blowing conditions, with winds of 40 miles per hour gusting to 60 miles per hour or higher. Another witness reported that visibility was less than half a mile.
Accident Sequence
The left wing of the aircraft contacted a spruce tree that was 8 inches in diameter. After the tree strike, the aircraft impacted the ground in a 25-degree nose-down attitude. Following the initial ground impact, the aircraft rebounded into the air and traveled approximately 250 feet before coming to a stop. Debris from the aircraft was scattered along the path from the first point of ground contact to the final stopping point.
Aftermath
An examination found no evidence of pre-impact failure or malfunction of the aircraft. A fire erupted as a result of the accident.