What happened
A cargo operation conducted under Title 14, CFR Part 135 departed from its origin for a destination located approximately 20 miles downriver. While the weather conditions at the departure airfield remained within Visual Flight Rules (VFR) limits, the crew lacked updated meteorological reports for the flight path ahead.
As the flight progressed, visibility decreased significantly. Because the pilot could not identify the intended destination airport due to the worsening weather, a decision was made to navigate back toward the departure point. To maintain orientation, the pilot attempted to use the river as a visual guide for navigation.
During this return attempt, the aircraft encountered heavy fog and whiteout conditions. While flying in these obscured conditions, the aircraft struck the frozen surface of the river, resulting in the accident.
Findings
- The pilot attempted to navigate using the river as a ground reference during periods of low visibility.
- The loss of visual reference due to fog and whiteout conditions led to the collision with the frozen river surface.