What happened
The seaplane was operating a mission from Port Heiden to Kodiak on behalf of the United States Coast Guard. At the time of the incident, there were three crew members and one passenger aboard the aircraft. Shortly after departing Port Heiden, the plane encountered poor weather conditions while in cruise flight. During this period, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located northeast of the departure point.
Because the seaplane failed to arrive at its destination in Kodiak, search and rescue operations were initiated. These efforts continued for several days but were eventually suspended when no trace of the aircraft could be located. The wreckage remained undiscovered until August 26, 1987, when hikers found the debris field approximately 44 years after the initial crash.