What happened
During a search and rescue mission initiated to locate a missing helicopter, an aircraft departed from Anchorage en route to Kantishna. While performing survey duties near the slopes of Mt. McKinley, the aircraft type became uncontrollable and struck a mountain slope. Search teams located the wreckage approximately one day after the incident. The crash resulted in one fatality, involving the pilot.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several contributing environmental and mechanical factors. The aircraft experienced an aerodynamic stall during flight, which was triggered by the pilot's failure to preserve sufficient airspeed. Several specific conditions were noted at the time of the event:
- Presence of significant downdrafts
- Wind gusts reaching speeds of 20 knots
- Flaps were positioned in the 30° extended position