What happened
During an approach to the airport at Hydaburg, a single engine floatplane encountered restricted visibility. While navigating through these conditions, the aircraft collided with obstacles and crashed a short distance from the airfield. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the airframe. There were five fatalities recorded among the occupants of the plane.
Findings
Official investigations concluded that the accident was a controlled flight into terrain occurring during the cruise phase of the flight. The primary factor was the pilot's decision to maintain visual flight rules despite encountering deteriorating weather. Several environmental elements contributed to the loss of situational awareness and the subsequent collision:
- Presence of fog
- Heavy rain
- Low cloud ceilings
- Flight occurring 28 minutes after sunset