Departure and Weather
The scheduled flight from King Cove was delayed due to a snow squall passing through the area. According to a witness at the airport, conditions were good at the time of departure, but the witness noted dark clouds in the direction of Cold Bay, the intended destination.
Accident Sequence
The aircraft did not arrive at Cold Bay. It was subsequently located where it had struck terrain near the top of a ridgeline at the 1,250-foot level, on a route between King Cove and Cold Bay. Weather reports from a station about 8 miles west-northwest of Cold Bay indicated snow showers of unknown intensity in all quadrants.
Occupants and Outcome
The pilot, who was the sole person on board, was killed in the accident.
Probable Cause
According to the official investigation, the probable cause was the pilot's continuation of visual flight rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and his failure to maintain adequate altitude or clearance from mountainous terrain. Adverse weather and terrain conditions were cited as related factors.