What happened
During a flight between a departure lodge and a destination camp located approximately 50 miles southwest, an aircraft encountered challenging weather conditions while navigating terrain featuring peaks exceeding 4,000 feet. Prior to the flight, the operator noted that weather conditions near Youth Creek appeared favorable, with ceilings estimated at over 400 feet, and advised the pilot that the flight could proceed.
While navigating up Youth Creek, the pilot observed that low cloud cover had closed the mountain pass. In an attempt to reverse the aircraft's direction, the pilot executed a sharp, steep turn. During this maneuver, the aircraft stalled, leading to the accident. At the time of the incident, the pilot reported a ceiling of approximately 800 feet and visibility of one mile.
As a result of the crash, five passengers were killed. The pilot and one passenger sustained serious injuries. The surviving passenger later succumbed to their injuries one day after the accident.
Findings
Investigations into the accident revealed that the pilot had an insulin-dependent diabetic condition. Although the pilot's medical records showed no prior evidence of this condition and the pilot denied any knowledge of it, the diagnosis was confirmed following his hospitalization after the crash.