Background
On the day of the accident, a commercial certificated pilot and four passengers departed for a remote lodge in an amphibious float-equipped airplane. The flight was an on-demand air taxi operation. The accident airplane was the second of two company airplanes to depart for the lodge. The first airplane completed the flight successfully, but the accident airplane did not arrive and was reported overdue.
Weather Information
Before the accident flight, the pilot received two telephonic weather briefings from the local FAA flight service station. These briefings included an AIRMET for mountain obscuration. Additionally, the pilot received two pilot reports from the first pilot who had already completed the trip. The pilot also visited the FSS in person for another weather briefing. The weather conditions along the route of flight included reported visibilities as low as 2 miles, ceilings as low as 200 feet due to rain and mist, and winds of 35 to 40 knots.
Terrain and Environment
The area of the accident flight is characterized by steep mountainous island terrain, numerous ocean channels, and an extensive shoreline with small coves and bays. The island is one of several barrier islands between the north Pacific Ocean and mainland Alaska. The western coastal portion of the island is exposed to open ocean, while the eastern coastal portion is adjacent to a wide strait separating the island from several inner islands. The route of flight would have transited around the north end of a large island, from the west side to the east side.
Communications and Radar Coverage
The area of operations for the accident airplane has no low-level radar coverage, intermittent radio communications, and limited weather reporting capability. These conditions likely hampered search and communication efforts.
Company Procedures
The company's operations manual states that aircraft may not be released for a flight at any location unless there is agreement about the parameters of the flight with the pilot-in-command, and either the Director of Operations, chief pilot, or trained individuals granted authority by the Director of Operations.
Outcome
The airplane has been declared missing and is presumed to have crashed. The occupants are presumed to have received fatal injuries. The official probable cause was undetermined due to the missing aircraft.