What happened
After departing on a round-robin flight pattern, the pilot contacted the local Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) to file a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flight plan. During this communication, the AFSS requested a weather report from the pilot, who described the flight conditions as a smooth ride.
Approximately eleven miles north of the final radio contact point, the aircraft collided with mountainous terrain while in a nose-down attitude. The impact resulted in minor damage to the propeller and extensive fire damage to the engine.
At the time of the accident, an AIRMET was active for the Cook Inlet and Susitna Valley regions. This advisory warned of occasional moderate turbulence below 9,000 feet, with isolated severe turbulence occurring within 5,000 feet of the ground, particularly through channeled terrain. A search aircraft participating in subsequent operations also encountered moderate to severe turbulence in the area.