Overview
Two company airplanes had landed on a beach to pick up hunters for a return trip to Seward. The accident airplane was one of these two. The other aircraft, a Cessna 206, was flown by the company chief pilot. Witnesses aboard the Cessna 206 reported that the accident airplane took off approximately five minutes before their own departure and then disappeared into the weather, never to be seen again.
Weather Conditions
According to the witnesses, the weather at the bay and along the intended route to Seward featured ceilings of 400 to 600 feet and visibility of approximately one mile in fog. The accident airplane encountered these conditions shortly after takeoff.
Wreckage Location
The wreckage of the accident airplane was later located approximately six miles west of the takeoff point at an elevation of 1,000 feet in mountainous terrain. Both occupants were killed in the accident.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause of the accident was determined to be the pilot's intentional VFR departure into instrument meteorological conditions, and the company chief pilot's failure to exercise adequate supervision. The weather conditions were factors in the accident.