Alaska

The pilot landed the amphibian landing gear equipped aircraft on water with the wheels extended, and the aircraft flipped over to an inverted attitude on touchdown. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

During a flight from Juneau to Pelican, AK, the aircraft collided with terrain approximately 12 miles east of Pelican while crossing over Chichagof Island. Impact occurred on a vertical rock wall at an elevation of about 1,950 feet. No preimpact part failure or malfunction of the aircraft was evident. Another pilot, who had planned to fly the same route about 1 hr and 45 min earlier, decided to fly around the island due to low clouds, rain and fog in the area. He reported that he flew over icy straits rather than take a more direct route and that ceilings were about 2,000 feet broken with lower stratus in the valleys. A helicopter pilot said he was unable to work in mountain passes in the vicinity of the accident due to low clouds, rain and fog; he also said the passes were 'socked in.' Both occupants were killed.

On short final to Fort Wainwright AFB, the airplane lost height, struck approach equipments then an embankment and eventually crashed about 600 feet short of runway threshold. Both pilots and seven passengers were killed while nine other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed. It was engaged in a combined exercice called 'Brim Frost'. At the time of the accident, the OAT was -46° C.

After departing the floatplane base on a company VFR flight plan, the scheduled commuter flight proceeded northwest along a saltwater strait at a low altitude above water. Two miles northwest of the airport the aircraft entered a snow squall and the pilot attempted a steep turn to reverse course. During the turn the aircraft impacted and sank in 167 feet deep water. Search and rescue efforts were suspended after 4 days.

The pilot planned to land at a seaplane base that was located in a bowl shaped cove. During the landing, the aircraft touched down long on water swells and the pilot elected to go around. Witnesses reported that during the go-around, the pilot initiated a steep turn while still at low altitude to avoid buildings and rising terrain. However, the aircraft entered a steep descent and crashed on a wooden walkway along the shoreline near the seaplane dock. No preimpact part failure or malfunction of the aircraft or engine was evident. The pilot was killed and both passengers were seriously injured.

The pilot encountered low ceilings, rain and fog while attempting to fly through a narrow mountain pass and successfully reversed course. He then flew into a small canyon off the main pass that terminated in a small glacier-covered bowl surrounded by steep rock walls. When it became apparent during a turn to reverse course that there was insufficient space to complete the maneuver before collision with a rock wall, the pilot retarded the throttles and crash landed on a glacier. A passenger was killed.

While on a flight from Sitka to Rowan Bay, Alaska, the pilot flew up a valley intending to cross a pass whose elevation was 2,745 feet msl. Upon approaching the pass the pilot encountered clouds which prevented his transit. The pilot then executed a 180° right course reversal and at some point near the completion of the maneuver and in close proximity to the steep terrain along the western edge of the pass the pilot allowed the aircraft to enter a stall condition. The aircraft impacted the 40° sloped terrain in a steep nose down, near wings level attitude and with a steep flight path. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The on-demand-charter flight was to originally pickup passengers and cargo but a landing gear problem forced another airplane with a mechanic to be dispatched. The other airplane returned with the passengers and the accident airplane was repaired by the mechanic and departed at a later time with the cargo on board. The airplane was not on a flight plan. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed from 7,000 feet msl to 12,500 feet msl as reported by the other company airplane. The aircraft was found on the side of Mt Torbert at the 10,570 foot level. The pilot-in-command was found in the right pilot seat with a non-aviation related book in his lap. The mechanic was found in the left pilot seat with a world aeronautical chart, cd-11 open on his lap. The mechanic held a commercial pilots certificate but no instrument rating. The investigation revealed weaknesses in company operations.

The pilot-in-command, a certified mechanic, performed his own maintenance on the aircraft. This maintenance required the removal, reinstallation and rigging of the ailerons. As the pilot was taking off on the first flight after maintenance, the aircraft entered a roll after lift-off and crashed. The pilot, sole on board, was killed. An investigation revealed the controls to the left aileron were connected in reverse.

The airplane had undergone extensive maintenance which included work on the control column. The upper half of the control column was replaced with a throw-over yoke and the aileron system was rerigged. The pilot-in-command picked up the airplane after it was tied down outside for three months. According to a witness, the airplane lifted off the water and started a left bank which increased until the airplane struck the ground. Post accident examination revealed the control cables at the base of the control column operated in reverse of the description in the maintenance manual. Complete control continuity could not be concluded because of the extensive post impact fire which destroyed the overhead bellcrank, pulley, and interconnect system. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.