Accident Overview
The airplane was destroyed when it collided with tree-covered terrain and incurred a postcrash fire and explosion about 19 miles west of Willow, Alaska. The airline transport rated pilot, who was the only occupant, was fatally injured.
Flight Information
The airplane was registered to Fuel Services, LLC, Anchorage, Alaska, and was being operated as a 14 CFR Part 91 visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country fuel transport flight. Marginal visual meteorological conditions were reported at the point of departure. The flight originated from Wasilla Airport, Wasilla, Alaska, about 1520 local time, en route to the Nixon Fork Mine, about 28 miles northeast of McGrath, Alaska. According to the co-owner of the airplane, the purpose of the flight was to transport approximately 900 gallons of diesel fuel to a company-owned tank that supplies fuel for a mining operation.
Search and Wreckage Location
When the airplane did not arrive at its destination, the co-owner reported it overdue to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at 1757. Personnel from the 11th Air Force's Rescue Coordination Center initiated a search along its supposed route. On the morning of October 16, an Air National Guard C-130 Hercules located the wreckage. Rescue personnel aboard an HH-60G helicopter reached the site later that morning and confirmed the pilot was deceased.
Witness Reports
Two witnesses reported seeing the airplane fly over their locations. The first witness observed the airplane flying northwest at an estimated altitude of 3,000 to 4,000 feet under an overcast layer. He stated the airplane did not sound "normal" but did not notice anything unusual, such as smoke. The second witness saw the airplane fly over his cabin headed southeast at an estimated altitude of 300 to 400 feet. He stated it sounded like it was "struggling," but he could not see anything abnormal about its appearance.
Radar Data
Primary radar data from the Anchorage Terminal Radar Approach Control Facility (TRACON) showed an unidentified aircraft, believed to be the accident airplane, depart Wasilla airport about 1522. After departure, the track proceeded northwest with cruising ground speeds between 180 and 193 knots. No altitude or transponder code data was transmitted. Around 1343 the radar track changed direction and proceeded to the southeast. Ground speeds after the change started at 143 knots and gradually decreased to a low of 117 knots about 5 minutes before the accident. The last radar plot was at 1556:47, approximately 5.5 nautical miles from the accident site, and showed a heading of 088 degrees and a ground speed of 175 knots.