Accident Overview
On August 8, 2010, at approximately 1305 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-32-260, registration N3432W, sustained substantial damage after colliding with terrain about 35 miles southeast of Chickaloon, Alaska. The aircraft was operated as a personal local flight under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 91, and departed Palmer Airport at about 1230. The pilot, a private pilot, and one passenger received minor injuries, while the three remaining passengers were uninjured.
Pilot Account
During a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on August 28, the pilot stated that he departed in visual flight rules conditions with various cloud layers present. The purpose of the flight was to take visiting family friends on a tour around a local glacier with which he was very familiar. As the pilot climbed toward the snowfields at the top of the glacier, clouds rapidly filled in below, forming an undercast, and also built up around the airplane as he attempted to climb above them. The clouds soon surrounded the airplane, causing the pilot to lose sight of the ground and find himself in instrument meteorological conditions. The pilot reported that the airplane had slowed to about 70 knots airspeed, and he was making a wings-level pedal turn when the airplane impacted the glacier. After impact, the airplane slid 60-70 yards before stopping. The pilot noted no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.
Damage and Injuries
The impact damaged the wings and fuselage. The pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries; the three other passengers were not injured.