What happened
On a night flight departing from Nome, Alaska, an aircraft was en route to Shishmaref, located approximately 122 miles to the north. Shortly after the departure, the crew encountered severe weather characterized by snowfall, icing, and reduced visibility. During this period of inclement weather, the plane collided with a mountain slope situated north of the departure point.
Following the failure of the aircraft to reach its intended destination, search and rescue operations were launched. These efforts continued for several days before being halted when no evidence of the flight or its passengers could be located. On February 10, 1980, investigators successfully identified the crash site. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and four fatalities.
Findings
The investigation concluded that the accident was caused by controlled flight into terrain while the aircraft was in a normal cruise phase. This occurred because the crew proceeded with a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan despite encountering deteriorating weather conditions. Several environmental factors contributed to the crash, including:
- Low cloud ceilings and fog
- Visibility reduced to one-half mile or less
- Active snowfall and icing
- Presence of high obstructions
- Snow-covered terrain