What happened
During a local training flight operating in the vicinity of Ketchikan, a student pilot attempted a steep 180-degree turn at a low altitude near the water. During this maneuver, the aircraft collided with trees, leading to a crash. The impact was followed by a fire that completely destroyed the plane. Both pilots involved in the flight sustained serious injuries.
Findings
Official investigations concluded that the accident occurred because the pilot-in-command misjudged the aircraft's altitude during the turn. Additional contributing factors identified in the report included a lack of familiarity with the specific aircraft being operated and insufficient supervision of the flight operations.