Accident Overview
A pilot received a weather briefing earlier in the day and departed from Fairbanks, Alaska, requesting Stage II radar service southbound en route to Valdez, Alaska. The aircraft never arrived at its destination. On July 12, 1989, the aircraft was located where it had crashed at an elevation of approximately 7,000 feet near the top of a mountain ridge. The impact occurred on the north side of the mountain on steep snow-covered terrain in a box canyon area.
Wreckage Examination
An examination of the wreckage indicated that the landing gear was retracted during impact. The propeller was not found, but four propeller attachment bolts were recovered that had been sheared.
Weather Conditions
At the time of the accident, weather observations from nearby locations provided conditions at different times. At Healy River, approximately 37 miles west at an elevation of 1,294 feet, the 1945 ADT weather reported 5,000 ft scattered, 12,000 ft scattered, 18,000 ft thin broken, and visibility 35 miles. At Gulkana, about 115 miles southeast at an elevation of 1,578 feet, the 1952 ADT sky condition was 5,000 ft scattered and 8,000 ft broken.