Accident Overview
A pilot and his wife flew to a remote area where she intended to shoot a caribou. After landing on a gravel bar, the wife successfully shot the animal. However, she soon complained of a severe headache and vision problems. The pilot reported that they loaded the meat and horns into the aircraft, but during that time, his wife’s headache worsened.
Sequence of Events
Shortly after takeoff, at approximately 20 feet above ground level, the wife made an unusual sound. The pilot then felt a strong force on the right rudder pedal. He later stated that he believed she had suffered a seizure. The pilot shouted for her to get off the controls. He then experienced a loss of lift and was unable to overcome the rudder force. Subsequently, the aircraft crashed on a river bank.
Injuries and Autopsy
The wife sustained a head injury as a result of the crash and was fatally injured. An autopsy of the pilot’s wife did not verify that she had experienced a seizure.