Flight Details
An airline transport certificated pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, in an area of steep mountainous terrain. The pilot reported that his routine was to fly over a mountain saddle near the top of a glacier at 4,500 feet above sea level and continue to his destination. He stated that he was cruising above the glacier at 4,500 feet when he encountered severe turbulence and downdrafts, subsequently colliding with the glacier.
Accident Sequence
According to the pilot, he was flying up the glacier when he encountered a downdraft. He turned downslope to "escape" when the airplane contacted the glacier. The pilot stated there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident.
Weather Conditions
An area weather forecast valid at the time of the accident indicated areas of marginal VFR weather with rain and snow showers, but did not forecast any significant turbulence. The closest automated weather reporting facility, located 7 miles from the accident site, reported rapidly varying visibilities from 10 miles to less than 1 mile, and ceilings varying from 100 feet to 6,000 feet during the accident timeframe.
Rescue and Recovery Efforts
The U.S. Coast Guard C-130 airplane flying in the area received a signal from the accident airplane's emergency locator transmitter and located the wreckage on the glacier. The aircraft commander reported that when they arrived over the area, it was covered in clouds. They located clear air, descended, and returned to the accident site underneath the overcast. They could see up the glacier with about 200 feet of clearance between the saddle at the top and the cloud cover. As they passed over the wreckage approaching the saddle, navigation instruments indicated a 40-knot headwind, and mountain peaks on either side of the saddle were obscured by clouds. They had to leave due to deteriorating weather.
An Air National Guard helicopter dispatched to the accident site aborted several attempts to reach it due to poor weather, eventually reaching the accident site about 9 hours after the accident. The Air National Guard para-rescue technician who made initial contact with the pilot reported the pilot's account of the accident. As of August 2006, the airplane had not been recovered.