What happened
On the day of the accident, the pilot contacted Flight Service Station (FSS) 11 times to obtain weather briefings. Although initial conditions were below VFR minimums required for the passenger-carrying commercial flight in a single-engine airplane, the pilot later departed under a special VFR clearance after conditions improved.
At the destination airport, the pilot performed two approaches in IMC, which were consistent with the available GPS approaches. Prevailing weather consisted of daylight conditions, low clouds, and poor visibility, with cloud tops at 1,000 feet. Following the second approach, the pilot radioed that he was returning to the departure airport because the airport was not visible. No unusual engine noises or distress calls were reported.
The aircraft subsequently flew north of the airport and away from the departure airport at an altitude below the minimum radar coverage of 2,200 feet. The airplane impacted the frozen Arctic Ocean in a right bank and at a 60-degree nose-down attitude, approximately three miles from the location of the pilot's last radio transmission.
The investigation
An examination of the aircraft before it sank through cracking ice revealed no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions. Investigation of the propeller showed it was under a power setting consistent with maneuvering airspeed at the time of impact. Additionally, the autopilot annunciator filament indicated that the autopilot was not engaged during the impact.
The aircraft was nearly full of fuel and was operating at a weight exceeding its published maximum gross weight. Small pieces of clear ice, approximately 1/4-inch thick, were discovered on portions of the tail surfaces.