What happened
The flight originated in Kotzebue, Alaska, with scheduled stops at Kiana and Tanana before reaching its final destination of McGrath. After arriving in Tanana, the pilot received briefings regarding the route, terminal forecasts, and weather conditions for the remainder of the trip. The aircraft departed Tanana at 19:57 local time under a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan, roughly one hour prior to sunset.
At 21:26 local time, an emergency distress signal was received from the aircraft. Following this alert, the crew engaged in several communications with the McGrath ground station, which provided navigational guidance. Approximately 45 minutes after nightfall and amidst active rain showers, the Beechcraft impacted the terrain in a steep spiral. The crash occurred roughly 26 miles from the McGrath Airport. The accident resulted in eight fatalities.
Findings
The investigation concluded that the primary factor was the pilot's loss of control while operating under instrument flight conditions and the subsequent failure to regain control of the aircraft. Additional contributing elements identified include inadequate flight planning, a lack of proficiency in instrument flight, and the possibility of fuel exhaustion during the flight.