What happened
During a night departure from an island runway, a Douglas DC-3 struck a volcanic mountain at an altitude of 1,500 feet MSL. The impact occurred approximately 4.5 miles from the airport while the aircraft was on its runway heading. The flight was conducted under visual flight rules (VFR) without a filed flight plan. Earlier that day, the aircraft had traveled from Anchorage, Alaska, along the Alaska Peninsula without a flight plan, despite weather conditions that made VFR flight inadvisable. Although the crew originally intended to stay overnight on the peninsula, a request to move cargo to Anchorage prompted the departure.
The aircraft was loaded with fuel and cargo at the time of the accident. The departure runway terminates at the edge of an ocean bay, with rising volcanic terrain and open water immediately beyond the threshold. No ground-based lighting or terrain illumination was available in the flight path. While an obstacle departure procedure exists recommending a right turn at 2 DME and a climb to 7,000 feet, the aircraft struck the terrain. Approximately 45 minutes after takeoff, a fire was observed on a volcanic cone, and an ELT signal was identified. The wreckage was discovered the following day on steep, snow-covered slopes, though extreme weather prevented rescue teams from reaching the site for three days.
Findings
Investigation into the operator revealed that the company lacked flight following procedures, and the aircraft was not reported missing until the day after the crash. No current maintenance, flight, or pilot logs were available for review. The captain, who served as the company's sole corporate entity and director of operations, had a history of a 45-day license suspension following a previous fuel exhaustion accident in a DC-3.
Toxicological testing revealed the presence of cocaine and its metabolites in the captain, while the first officer tested positive for two prescription antidepressant medications. The investigation noted that the captain's medical records lacked monitoring for substance abuse, and the first officer had previously undergone a medical review following a loss of consciousness. The crew's flight history also included previous aviation accidents.