Background
The accident flight was the pilot's second passenger sightseeing flight of the day, overflying remote inland fjords, coastal waterways, and mountainous, tree-covered terrain in the Misty Fjords National Monument.
Flight Events
Limited radar coverage and 1-minute interval flight tracking data showed the airplane was on the return leg, flying on the right side of a valley during the final minutes. The airplane impacted mountainous terrain at 1,750 ft mean sea level, about 250 ft below the summit. Wreckage orientation and distribution indicated a left-wing-low attitude upon impacting a tree, likely as the pilot attempted to maneuver away from terrain.
Weather Conditions
Weather analysis revealed a conditionally unstable environment below 6,000 ft with rain bands. Satellite imagery showed one band moving northeast across the accident site at the time of the accident. FAA weather cameras and local observations indicated lower visibility and mountain obscuration progressing northward. Photos from passenger cell phones and FAA cameras confirmed the flight encountered mountain obscuration, rain, reduced visibility, and cloud ceilings, resulting in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) before impact.
The pilot reviewed weather before the first flight but did not obtain updated conditions before the accident flight. After landing from the first flight in lowering visibility and precipitation, the pilot departed into precipitation, based on passenger photos, indicating knowledge of the weather along the route.
Aircraft and Wreckage Examination
Examination found no pre-impact failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The propeller showed evidence of rotation and power at impact, consistent with controlled flight into terrain.
Operator Policies and Training
The operator had policies for inadvertent IMC encounters, but the pilot's training records indicated sign-off for cue-based training that was never completed. Cue-based training is intended to improve weather assessment and decision-making. The operator's lack of safety management protocols resulted in the pilot not receiving required training, allowed continued operations with minimal remedial training after a previous accident, and permitted the accident airplane to operate without a valid FAA registration.
Letter of Agreement
The operator was signatory to a voluntary letter of agreement (LOA) for safety in the Misty Fjords National Monument area, but the investigation found multiple instances where LOA policies were ignored, including the accident flight. The accident flight did not follow the standard route or recommended altitudes. FAA inspectors reported operators disregarded the LOA because it was voluntary, and the FAA's reliance on voluntary compliance failed to improve safety in the region.