What happened
On August 1, 2010, a Fairchild C-123K Provider crashed while maneuvering over Denali National Park near Mount McKinley, Alaska. The flight, operated by All West Freight, Inc., originated from Wolf Lake Airport (4AK6) in Palmer, Alaska, with a destination of Unalakleet Airport (PAUN). The aircraft was being used to transport a 12,000-pound diesel generator.
At approximately 1452, a witness observed the N709RR flying at an altitude of 300 to 500 feet above the Parks Highway, heading north. The witness noted the aircraft was flying straight and level with the landing gear and flaps retracted. Shortly thereafter, another witness near the entrance of Denali National Park observed the airplane in a slow flight, nose-down descent. This witness reported that the airplane suddenly pitched up vertically, appeared to stall, and then rolled left into a nose-dive toward the ground.
The impact occurred in a wooded area, and a post-impact fire consumed much of the fuselage and cockpit. All three occupants—the pilot, the co-pilot, and a passenger—sustained 3 fatal injuries.
The investigation
An examination of the wreckage revealed that the aircraft's major flight control surfaces remained intact and connected to the cockpit. While the aircraft suffered extensive fire and impact damage, investigators found no evidence of pre-accident mechanical deficiencies. The engines, including both radial engines and the two jet-assist engines, were examined; the investigation found no evidence that the cargo had shifted during the flight.
Medical examinations and toxicological testing of the pilots returned negative results for drugs and alcohol. The cause of death for the pilot and co-pilot was attributed to blunt force injury.