Accident Overview
The flight departed a remote hunting camp, approximately 25 miles north of the accident site, with the purpose of locating sheep before dropping off the passenger. The flight was reported overdue to the Alaska State Troopers, prompting an aerial search that located the wreckage the following day.
Accident Details
The aircraft struck terrain in a near-vertical attitude and came to rest inverted at the bottom of a box canyon. The empennage was rotated and twisted to the right. A postcrash fire consumed both fuel tanks and the fuselage.
Weather Conditions
At the time of the accident, visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the nearest reporting station, located 60 miles south of the accident site. One of the pilot's employees reported to the NTSB investigator-in-charge that winds at the camp were calm, with some clouds visible to the south and the tops of the mountains visible toward the accident site.
Examination Findings
Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no preaccident anomalies.