Accident
Minutes after departing Anaktuvuk Pass Airstrip, a single-engine airplane was cruising in poor weather conditions when it struck the ground and crashed. The aircraft was destroyed, and all five occupants were killed. The flight was conducted on behalf of Wien Air Alaska.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause of the accident was controlled flight into terrain during normal cruise after the pilot initiated flight in adverse weather conditions.
Contributing Factors
The following contributing factors were reported: low ceiling, snow, whiteout conditions, weather slightly worse than forecast, overcast, visibility of 1/2 mile or less, blowing snow, weather conditions below minimums, and the pilot had just flown through the same weather.