What happened
A flight departing from Juneau Airport for Hoonah ended in a fatal accident when the aircraft struck an open field and caught fire. The plane was operating as a taxi flight with one pilot and two passengers on board. During the climb, the aircraft encountered severe weather characterized by rain, turbulence, and thunderstorm activity. As the plane ascended through low ceilings, the pilot lost control of the aircraft, leading to a crash that resulted in three fatalities.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several critical factors that led to the loss of control. The primary cause was an uncontrolled descent following the decision to continue flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) despite deteriorating weather conditions. Contributing elements included:
- Spatial disorientation of the pilot
- The pilot's blood alcohol level of 1.08‰
- Inadequate preparation prior to the flight
- Presence of a squall line and merging cloud layers
- Adverse meteorological conditions including low visibility and turbulence