Accident Overview
A pilot filed an IFR flight plan from Sitka, Alaska, to Anchorage, Alaska. After receiving a weather briefing, the pilot departed from runway 11 at Sitka. During takeoff, he reported to the flight service station that he had entered cloud bases at 700 feet mean sea level (msl). While departing, the aircraft initiated a left turn and subsequently crashed on Mt Verstovia at an elevation of 1,420 feet msl, approximately 3 miles east of the airport.
Investigation Findings
An on-scene investigation revealed that the airplane struck wooded terrain while climbing on a heading of 359°. Several tree limbs were clean cut by the propellers. Wreckage was dispersed over an area of 516 feet. Notably, a standard instrument departure, the Sitka 5 SID, was available to the pilot. This procedure would have provided terrain clearance by requiring a right turn-out from runway 11 to an initial climb heading of 280°. The pilot instead executed a left turn, which led the aircraft into rising terrain.
Probable Cause
Probable cause (official findings): Improper planning/decision by the pilot, and his failure to follow IFR procedures and maintain clearance from mountainous terrain.