What happened
On a scheduled flight departing from Juneau toward Pelican, Alaska, an aircraft struck terrain while traversing the area of Chichagof Island. The collision occurred approximately 12 miles east of Pelican when the plane hit a vertical rock face at an altitude of roughly 1,950 feet. There were no indications of mechanical failure or component malfunction prior to the impact.
The flight resulted in two fatalities, with no survivors reported among the occupants.
Witness accounts from other pilots operating in the region described extremely challenging flying conditions. One pilot, who had intended to follow the same path less than two hours earlier, chose to divert around the island due to heavy rain, fog, and low cloud cover. This pilot noted that while they navigated via icy straits, the ceilings remained at approximately 2,000 feet with lower stratus clouds filling the valleys. Additionally, a helicopter pilot reported that mountain passes in the vicinity were impassable due to being "socked in" by rain and fog.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified that the pilot made an improper in-flight decision which led to the unintentional entry into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The presence of difficult terrain and deteriorating weather conditions were significant factors in the crash.