What happened
During a scheduled mail distribution mission originating from Tromsø, an aircraft carrying eight crew members and one passenger completed several stops across the Svalbard region, including Isfjord Radio, Longyearbyen, Ny-Ålesund, and Hopen. Following the successful completion of these deliveries, the flight was en route back to its base in Tromsø.
As the mission concluded, the pilot elected to perform a final low-altitude pass over the Bjørnøya station. While navigating through active snowfall at an altitude of approximately 40 meters, the aircraft began a right-hand turn. During this maneuver, the right wing made contact with the terrain. The impact caused the plane to lose control and subsequently disintegrate upon hitting a snow depth of one meter.
The accident resulted in eight fatalities among the occupants, while one radio operator was successfully rescued from the wreckage.
Findings
Investigations into the crash concluded that the aircraft experienced a loss of altitude during a sideslip. This descent was likely driven by the pilot's diminished spatial awareness caused by the poor visibility conditions present at the time of the accident.