What happened
During the final leg of a scheduled air taxi operation, a two-seat aircraft departed from a remote village airport under visual flight rules at night. The intended destination was located approximately 17 nautical miles northeast of the departure airfield. Shortly after takeoff, the flight encountered deteriorating weather, including a snow squall and severe turbulence.
As the flight progressed, visibility decreased to approximately one mile. The pilot reported encountering instrument meteorological conditions, characterized by strong surface winds and heavy snow. During the flight, the pilot adjusted the course toward the southeast to compensate for winds blowing the aircraft toward the southwest. At one point, the pilot decided to deviate from the original flight path, intending to navigate by following the coastline toward the destination.
Approximately 10 minutes into the flight, the aircraft was flying in an area with light snow showers and strong northeasterly winds. The crew lost visual contact with ground features due to the weather. The aircraft subsequently struck a snow-covered hill, resulting in two fatalities.
Findings
- The flight encountered severe turbulence and reduced visibility due to a snow squall.
- The pilot was operating in instrument meteorological conditions while attempting to maintain visual navigation.
- The aircraft collided with terrain after the pilot attempted to navigate toward the coast to find the destination.