What happened
Before commencing a scheduled air taxi service carrying two passengers, the pilot received a weather briefing that warned of icing, IFR conditions, and mountain obscuration. Despite these warnings, which suggested that VFR flight was not advisable, the flight proceeded under a VFR flight plan. This occurred after a previous company flight had already returned to base due to low ceilings.
While operating in an area characterized by mountainous terrain, the aircraft encountered low cloud ceilings. As the pilot attempted to maneuver the aircraft type around the landscape, the flight entered a period of obscuration. During this loss of visual reference, the aircraft struck multiple trees. There were 3 fatalities resulting from the impact.
Findings
Investigation into the event noted that the company's operational manual assigns the pilot the primary responsibility for flight conduct. However, the manual also outlines specific duties for dispatchers regarding weather dissemination, as well as the responsibility of the director of operations to monitor conditions and cancel flights when necessary. The primary factor in the accident was the encounter with low ceilings and obscuration while flying under VFR in mountainous terrain.