What happened
A flight was conducting a visual flight rules (VFR) mission through several Alaskan communities, including a route starting from Kotzebulence and visiting Noorvik, Kiana, and Selawik before returning to the starting point. During the mission, the aircraft bypassed Kiana because the runway was inaccessible due to unplowed snow. While the aircraft was en route to Selawik, it struck the summit of Shelly Mountain.
At the time of the impact, the surrounding mountain peaks were hidden by heavy clouds, fog, and snow. The ground terrain was also heavily covered in snow. The accident resulted in three fatalities, with no survivors among the occupants.
Findings
Investigation details indicate that the area was experiencing significant visibility challenges, including obscured mountain tops. It was noted that the pilot had been involved in a prior aviation accident involving whiteout conditions that led to a collision with rising terrain.