What happened
The pilot attempted to navigate through Atigun Pass earlier in the day but was unsuccessful. Despite the pass being officially closed due to poor visibility caused by fog and cloud cover, the pilot decided to attempt the crossing a second time. The aircraft wreckage was subsequently located within the pass.
The investigation
Examination of the accident revealed that the aircraft was significantly overloaded. Specifically, it was over its gross weight limit and exceeded the rear center of gravity limits. These mechanical factors would have severely degraded the aircraft's performance and controllability during the flight.
Findings
Contributing to the accident were several critical failures by the pilot. The pilot was not wearing required corrective lenses at the time of the accident, which likely impaired visual acuity in the low-visibility conditions. Furthermore, medical records indicated that the pilot had been advised by medical personnel that he suffered from arterial disease and that open heart surgery was recommended. The pilot failed to provide this significant health information to the Aviation Medical Examiner when obtaining his medical certificate.
The combination of fuel exhaustion risks associated with overweight flight, poor visibility, and impaired vision created an unsurvivable situation.