What happened
The pilot departed from a remote airstrip carrying several items intended for transport to a remote trapping cabin. The load included ten 5-gallon gasoline cans, 50 pounds of traps and snares, and 35 pounds of survival equipment. In addition to this cargo, the airplane fuel tanks were full with 36 gallons of fuel.
During the flight, the aircraft failed to reach its intended destination and was subsequently reported overdue. Nine days after the disappearance, the wreckage was located approximately 300 yards southeast of the departure runway. The aircraft was found in a steep, nose-down attitude. Upon discovery, all cargo items were found piled down and around the pilot.
Findings
The estimated gross weight of the airplane at the time of the accident was 1865 lbs, which exceeded the maximum certificated gross weight of 1750 lbs. Furthermore, none of the cargo items located in the rear of the aircraft had been secured for flight.