What happened
A series of five aircraft departed from a lodge in a single-file formation. During the flight, the group encountered heavy fog and light drizzle. The pilot leading the formation issued radio instructions to the following aircraft, advising them to navigate toward the eastern shoreline of the river.
While traversing the center of the river, the fourth aircraft in the sequence, N13GA, encountered significantly reduced visibility. The fog became so dense that the riverbanks were no longer visible from the cockpit. In response to the worsening weather, the pilot of the floatplane initiated a descent to perform a precautionary landing. As the pilot attempted to level the aircraft, the plane struck the surface of the river, which had become obscured by a layer of glassy water.
The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. The accident resulted in seven fatalities and left four occupants with serious injuries.
Findings
- The pilot encountered deteriorating weather conditions including fog and drizzle.
- The presence of glassy water on the river surface contributed to the impact during the descent.