Cessna 207 Skywagon/Stationair

After receiving a special VFR (SVFR) clearance, the pilot departed the airport with a passenger on a scheduled commuter flight to a remote airport. About 14 miles north of the airport, at 1,000 feet mean sea level (msl), the pilot encountered whiteout conditions and reversed course, descending to about 500 feet msl. The pilot requested a SVFR arrival back to the departure airport and began maneuvering to intercept the inbound course. While in instrument meteorological conditions, the airplane descended and collided with flat, snow covered terrain about 5 mile north of the airport. The pilot was unable to distinguish any terrain features until impact with the ground.

Prior to departing on a scheduled air taxi flight with two passengers, the pilot obtained a weather briefing that included airmets for mountain obscuration, IFR and icing conditions. VFR flight was not recommended. A company flight that departed before the accident flight, returned to the company base due to low ceilings, after the accident flight departed. The flight departed on a VFR flight plan and encountered low ceilings in the area of mountainous terrain. The pilot began maneuvering around the terrain and during a period of obscuration, collided with several trees. The company operations manual specifies that the pilot is responsible for the conduct of the flight; however, procedures are included that detail the dispatch responsibilities, dissemination of weather information, and the director of operations responsibility to monitor and cancel flights if necessary.

Approximately 10 minutes after departure, the pilot was contacted by a company pilot flying in the opposite direction. During their conversation the pilot stated that he was 'looking for wolves.' Shortly thereafter, the company pilot told the pilot that his radio transmissions were breaking up. The pilot replied that it was probably because he was 'behind a ridge.' The company pilot temporarily went off frequency; however, when he switched back he was unable to contact the pilot. The aircraft was later located on the southwest side of a box canyon about 100 feet below the top of the ridge. The normal course line for the route typically flown by company pilots is 6 miles away. The pilot had no prior experience in mountain flying.

The PA-28, N4512Z, was westbound in level flight about 1,000 feet agl, about 2 miles north of an airport at which an intermediate stop was planned. The Cessna T207A, N6383H, was maneuvering in left turns while conducting aerial photography, and had just initiated a turn toward the east. The left wings of each aircraft were struck by the other airplane. Witnesses indicated that about 2 seconds before impact, the PA-28 attempted to avoid a collision by beginning a climbing right turn. Each aircraft continued past the other and then both spiraled to the ground. The weather conditions were clear, visibility 3 miles in haze. Neither airplane was in radar or voice contact with any FAA facility. All three occupants in both aircraft were killed.

While approaching Salta Airport, the single engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances near Vaqueros, about 20 km north of the airport. All four occupants were killed.

The pilot reportedly flew a route along the power lines between Kenai and Homer. The flight took place on a dark moonless night over rising terrain. The accident site was located 200 yards east of the power lines. Radar data shows the airplane in the area of the crash site at a steady state heading, airspeed, and level altitude. This flight marked the first time that the pilot did not complete a company flight plan. On his off days, the pilot got 9-11 hours of sleep. His wife said he was not a morning person. The pilot had commented to her that when away from home, the quality of his sleep was poor. On the day of the accident, the pilot was awake at 0340 for the 0500 departure; he had about 6 hours of sleep.

While cruising in poor weather conditions, the single engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain and crashed. Three occupants were rescued while four others were killed. The exact place of the accident remains unknown.

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.

Pireps provided to the pilot by FSS prior to takeoff indicated that fog and low visibility had been encountered on the pilot's route to the east, forcing airplanes to return to Nome. In addition, as the flight taxied for takeoff, the pilot was told '... VFR is not recommended to the east...'. The airplane impacted flat snow covered terrain in a steep left wing down attitude approximately 4 miles east of the departure end of the runway. The area was a treeless, snow covered flat coastal plain bordered by a sea frozen with white ice. The pilot had returned to work 4/1 after a 30-day suspension following a takeoff accident, and was assigned only to Cessna 207 'VFR only' airplanes. The poi did not discuss the earlier accident or the pilot with the operator's management.

Crashed in unknown circumstances while completing a survey flight. Both occupants were killed.