What happened
During daylight hours under visual meteorological conditions, two aircraft traveling east in Alaska were involved in a mid-air collision. The flight involved a Cessna 208B and a Cessna 207, both of which had departed from nearby remote villages around the same time and were following similar flight paths. The pilots of both aircraft were communicating via a private, prearranged radio frequency and had intended to rendezvous during their flight.
While the Cessna 207 was maintaining a level cruise at 1,200 feet mean sea level, the pilot of the Cessna 208B initially flew alongside the left side of the smaller aircraft. During this period, the pilots continued their radio conversation. Without warning, the pilot of the Cessna 208B maneuvered his aircraft upward and over the top of the Cessna 207. The pilot of the Cessna 207 reported expressing concern over the radio because she could no longer see the other aircraft. In response, the pilot of the Cessna 208B instructed her not to pitch up.
Shortly thereafter, the cockpit and wings of the descending Cessna 208B passed the right side of the Cessna 207, resulting in a direct impact with the latter's right wing. Following the collision, the Cessna 208B moved from right to left underneath the Cessna 207 before entering a steep, vertical, nose-down descent. The Cessna 208B struck the tundra-covered terrain, which resulted in a post-crash fire. The pilot of the Cessna 207, unable to sustain level flight, performed a forced landing on nearby rolling terrain.
Findings
Post-accident investigations confirmed that the Cessna 208B's vertical stabilizer struck the right wing of the Cessna 207. Physical evidence included wreckage from the Cessna 208B's vertical stabilizer assembly embedded within the wing of the Cessna 207. Additionally, the severed rudder and vertical stabilizer from the Cessna 208B were located approximately 1,000 feet west of the primary crash site.