What happened
A cargo mission originating from McChord AFB, Washington, was en route to Kodiak with a payload weighing approximately 34,500 pounds when the accident occurred. During the approach toward the Kenai Peninsula, the flight crew contacted air traffic control to report mechanical difficulties involving the engines and indicated their intention to divert to Anchorage.
Shortly after this communication, the pilot reported an inability to sustain a safe flying altitude. While operating at an altitude estimated between 3,000 and 4,000 feet, the aircraft impacted a mountain slope within the Petrof Glacier region, situated roughly 26 miles southeast of Homer. Search efforts located the wreckage one day after the impact. There were nine fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft.
Findings
Investigations into the crash indicated that the aircraft experienced a double engine failure during flight, though the specific reason for this simultaneous loss of power remained undetermined.