Incident Overview
On final approach to Kotzebue-Ralph Wien Memorial Airport under good weather conditions, the pilot of a twin-engine airplane failed to recognize that the aircraft was too low. The airplane subsequently struck the water surface and crashed short of the runway threshold.
Rescue and Occupants
All six occupants of the aircraft were rescued following the crash.
Official Findings
The probable cause of the accident was determined to be a controlled collision with water during initial approach due to improper IFR operation. Contributing factors identified in the investigation included the pilot's misjudgment of altitude and clearance, the aircraft coming to rest in water, and the pilot descending below the minimum IFR altitude into VFR conditions with 400-foot ceiling over the water approach, while keeping the landing area in sight.