What happened
On November 4, an Alaska Coastal Airlines flight departed Sitka, Alaska, bound for Juneau with scheduled stops at Pelican City and Hoonah. The flight was cleared under Defense Visual Flight Rules (DVFR) to proceed to Hoonah, with instructions to wait there if weather conditions in the Juneau area did not improve. At takeoff from Sitka, the aircraft was carrying cargo, mail, baggage, and four passengers.
The aircraft arrived at Pelican City at 1235. During the stop, two passengers disembarked, and while some weight was removed, additional cargo was loaded. The aircraft departed Pelican City at 1305, heading toward Hoonah; this departure marked the final radio communication from the crew. After the flight failed to arrive at Hoonah as scheduled, search operations were initiated, and the Coast Guard was alerted by 1655.
The wreckage was discovered the following morning by a private pilot in a mountain pass located several miles southeast of Pelican City. Rescue teams reached the site on the afternoon of November 5. The crash resulted in one fatality (the pilot) and two survivors among the passengers.
Findings
The investigation concluded that the aircraft struck the ground while traveling west at a sharp bend within a narrow mountain pass. At the time of the accident, the pilot had reversed course and was attempting to navigate the pass at an altitude lower than the 3,000 feet required by the operator's manual. The area was experiencing heavy rain, fog, low ceilings, and severe turbulence.
Contributing factors included the pilot operating below the minimum altitude and weather requirements specified for DVFR operations. The aircraft encountered intense turbulence during a steep left bank at a low altitude, leading to the loss of control.