What happened
The crew departed from Ladd Army Airfield for a fifteen-hour training sortie during daylight hours. While conducting low-level flight over the Seward Peninsula, the four-engine aircraft named 'The Clobbered Turkey' collided with the slope of Mt Hot Springs. The impact resulted in the total loss of the airframe, but all eight occupants survived the initial crash. Following the accident, two members of the crew attempted to walk away from the site to locate assistance. These individuals were discovered dead several days later. The remaining six occupants were eventually rescued by a salvage team. Tragically, three rescuers lost their lives during these recovery operations.
Findings
The source material does not provide specific technical findings or contributing factors regarding the initial collision with the mountain slope. It documents only the sequence of events leading to the total loss of the aircraft and the subsequent fatalities among the crew and rescue personnel.