What happened
During an approach to Toksook Bay Airport, the flight crew encountered severe weather characterized by fog, falling snow, and whiteout conditions. The aircraft was being operated under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) during its descent. While navigating through these low-visibility conditions, the pilot failed to maintain a safe altitude above the terrain. Consequently, the aircraft struck the ground in a snow-covered area located just before reaching the runway.
The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. Both members of the crew sustained injuries during the accident.
Findings
The investigation determined that the primary cause was controlled flight into terrain. This occurred because the crew continued to operate under VFR despite the presence of adverse weather. Several contributing environmental and operational factors were identified:
- The pilot misjudged the aircraft's altitude during the descent.
- There was a delay in performing a go-around maneuver.
- Visibility was reduced to less than two miles due to fog and snow.
- Whiteout conditions significantly obscured the terrain.
- A low cloud ceiling was present.
- Wind gusts reached 20 knots.
- No recent weather reports were available for Toksook Bay at the time of the flight.