MarkAir Express

The pilot was informed by another company pilot that the higher passes were closed. He then attempted to fly through 'high pass' located near old harbor. The pilot described the weather as overcast with ceilings obscured, and flight visibility was 2 to 3 miles. The pass was snow covered. As he entered the pass he lost visual reference due to whiteout conditions and he initiated a left turn to exit the pass. Approx half way through the turn the left wing struck the mountain.

On August 2, 1993, at 1500 Alaska daylight time, an amphibious Cessna 208 airplane, N9526F, operated by MarkAir, Inc., nosed over after landing on the water with the wheels extended at Geographic Harbor, located about 75 miles west of Kodiak, Alaska. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The unscheduled domestic cargo flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 135, departed King Salmon, Alaska at 1426. Visual meteorological conditions existed, and a company VFR flight plan was filed.
During a telephone conversation with the pilot shortly after the accident, he stated that he "just failed to use and comply with the airplanes checklist to ensure that the wheels were retracted for the water landing". He further stated that he was very distracted and preoccupied with several other mission related activities.

The pilot reported that while in cruise flight looking at birds out the left side cockpit window he observed peripherally a 'white flash' fill the right side of the forward wind screen followed immediately by an audible 'thump'. The airplane began an uncontrollable descent and yaw to the right. The engine continued to run smoothly. Advancing the engine power controls had no noticeable effect on his ability to arrest the descent. The NTSB investigator in charge visited the accident site. No evidence was found of a bird strike. The accident site was surrounded by tall (white) birch trees. The pilot stated that he was not sure what he struck and that it could have been a tree.

The pilot bent down to retrieve the fire extinguisher between his feet and to replace it in the bracket located under the pilot's seat. When he looked up he saw a hill in front of the airplane. He pulled up and the airplane struck the hill but continued to fly. He pulled back on the yoke and added full power and the airplane entered the clouds. He noticed he was about to stall the airplane so he lowered the nose and the airplane immediately struck the hill again and nosed over.

The wreckage was located on the northeast side of halfway mountain heading approximately 270° at the 1,600 foot level. The accident site is located within two miles of the initial approach fix for the localizer/dme runway 16 approach at McGrath. The mea for the dme arc is listed as 3,600 feet above mean sea level. The sector obstruction clearance altitude is listed as 3,100 feet above mean sea level. Weather for the area, airmet sierra, indicated that mountain tops would be obscured and that ceilings would occasionally be 1,500 feet broken. There were reports of snow showers in the area of sufficient intensity that would not allow the search aircraft to fly through the snow showers. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The flight departed Cold Bay for the approximately 15 minutes flight to False Pass. There are no weather reporting facilities at False Pass. Cold Bay weather was 4,500 feet overcast, light rain and fog; forecast called for frequent ceilings below 1,000 feet. Wreckage located between two mountains. False Pass weather estimated 400 feet overcast, 2-3 miles in rain and fog, winds 25-30 knots. Fishing boat captain in area estimated winds down the mountain at 60 mph or greater.