Background
The pilot, holding an airline transport certificate, planned a VFR round-trip flight from home base to several remote villages. Before departure, he obtained a weather briefing that included an AIRMET for IFR conditions and mountain obscuration due to clouds and light snow. The terminal forecast indicated visibilities ranging from 3 to 3/4 mile in blowing snow, vertical visibility of 500 feet, and winds of 14 to 22 knots.
Flight
During the flight plan filing, a flight service station specialist advised that VFR flight was not recommended. The pilot acknowledged the information and departed. On the return leg from an airport 128 miles east of his home base, the pilot initially reported visibility greater than 6 miles at his base. As he approached, visibility decreased, and other pilots in the area were requesting special VFR clearances into the Class E surface area.
Accident
At 1441, the pilot requested a special VFR clearance but had to hold outside the surface area for other traffic. A METAR at 1453 reported wind from 080 at 26 knots and visibility of 1 mile in blowing snow. While holding about 7 miles north of the airport, the pilot reported deteriorating weather east of the airport. He was cleared to enter the surface area at 1458 and received an advisory of wind 25 knots gusting 33. A special observation at 1501 showed wind 26 knots and visibility 3/4 mile in blowing snow.
The pilot stated he established a GPS waypoint 4 miles from the runway and descended to 1,000 feet, then continued inbound to 300 feet. At 1 mile from the airport, he looked up from the instrument panel but could not see the airport, describing a whiteout condition. The airplane collided with snow-covered sea ice about 1 mile from the approach end of the runway threshold at 1504.
Probable Cause
The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and his failure to maintain altitude/clearance above the ground, resulting in a collision with snow and ice covered terrain during the final approach phase of a VFR landing. Factors in the accident were whiteout conditions and snow-covered terrain.