What happened
During a routine transport flight traveling from Little American V Station toward Mile 38 Station, the crew encountered extreme icing conditions. These environmental factors led to the aircraft performing a crash landing on an icy, snow-covered hill.
Following the impact, both members of the flight crew survived without physical injuries. After the accident, the two individuals attempted to reach their home base, which was situated approximately 110 miles from the crash site. The crew began a trek across the terrain and traveled roughly 40 miles on foot before they were located and retrieved by an approaching helicopter rescue team.
Findings
- The primary factor contributing to the accident was the encounter with severe icing conditions during the flight phase.