On July 31, 1977, a Beechcraft 90 King Air (registration N4207S) operated by NSD Corporation was involved in an aviation accident near Sitka, United States of America during landing or approach. 5 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Controlled flight into terrain on final approach. The following contributing factors were reported: - Improper IFR operation, - Lack of familiarity with aircraft, - Mountains adjacent to Sitka obscured. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).
A twin-engine airplane struck a mountain while descending to Sitka in limited visibility, resulting in the destruction of the aircraft and the deaths of all five occupants.
Accident Overview
A twin-engine airplane crashed into a mountain while descending to Sitka under limited visibility conditions. The accident site was located a few miles from the intended destination. The aircraft was destroyed on impact, and all five occupants were killed.
Circumstances
The flight was on approach to Sitka when it encountered low visibility. During the descent, the aircraft struck mountainous terrain. The exact sequence of events leading to the collision has been documented in the official investigation.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) during the final approach. Contributing factors included improper instrument flight rules (IFR) operation, the pilot's lack of familiarity with the aircraft, and the obscuration of mountains adjacent to Sitka.