History of Flight
On August 9, 2008, about 1605 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped Cessna 182E airplane, N9350X, impacted steep mountainous terrain after departure from Young Lake on Admiralty Island, about 15 miles south of Juneau, Alaska. The private pilot and a pilot-rated passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was destroyed. The airplane was operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. No flight plan was filed, and instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) were reported along the anticipated flight path.
The pilot's youngest son reported that the group had been camping at Young Lake and was returning to Juneau. They determined two trips were needed to transport gear. The son stated that they departed Young Lake about 1515, arrived in Juneau about 1540, and he remained in Juneau while his father and older brother flew back to retrieve remaining gear, departing Juneau about 1540 with an anticipated return around 1630. No communications with the airplane were reported, and no radar data were available. No emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal was received.
About 1915, the youngest son reported the airplane overdue to the FAA Juneau Flight Service Station. The airplane was officially declared overdue at 1932. A witness recalled the airplane departing Young Lake about 1600. Extensive air, water, and ground searches were conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Alaska National Guard, Civil Air Patrol, Alaska State Troopers, Juneau Mountain Rescue, and volunteers. The official search was suspended on August 20, 2008, but family and volunteers continued. On October 25, 2017, the NTSB was notified that wreckage was discovered on Admiralty Island by a deer hunter.
Aircraft Information
Examination of maintenance records revealed no evidence of uncorrected mechanical discrepancies with the airframe, engine, or propeller. An Aero Electronics Development Company, Inc., Pointer II ELT was installed, with batteries replaced in May 2007 and inspected in June 2008.
Meteorological Information
An Automated Surface Observing System at Juneau International Airport (PAJN), about 13 miles north of the accident site, reported at 1553: wind 280° at 5 knots, visibility 3 statute miles, light drizzle, mist, scattered clouds at 200 ft agl, ceiling broken at 1,300 ft agl, overcast at 2,000 ft agl. At 1629: wind 230° at 5 knots, visibility 2.5 statute miles, light rain, mist, scattered clouds at 200 ft agl, ceiling broken at 1,300 ft agl, overcast at 2,000 ft agl. Remarks indicated mountains obscured in all quadrants.
Wreckage and Impact Information
On October 28, 2017, investigators reached the accident site, located in densely forested steep mountainous terrain about 1.25 miles northwest of the north end of Young Lake at an elevation of about 1,075 ft msl. Heavily corroded wreckage was saturated with debris and had been burned by a postimpact fire. The cockpit and fuselage were destroyed; the engine was buried beneath soil. Both wings were torn from the fuselage, and the empennage sustained thermal damage. Float pontoons were heavily fractured and located atop the cockpit area. Flight control continuity could not be verified due to fragmentation and thermal damage. The ELT was not identified. The wreckage was not recovered.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Alaska State Medical Examiner examined skeletonized remains; the causes of death for both occupants were determined as most likely multiple blunt force injury. Toxicology tests were not performed due to lack of suitable samples. The pilot had reported thrombophlebitis and use of warfarin, which is not considered impairing.