SEWARD, AK, USA
N4362C
CHAMPION 7EC
AT 2112 AN ELT SIGNAL WAS RECEIVED BY THE SEARCH AND RESCUE SATELLITE SYSTEM (SARSAT). AT 0100 SAR ACFT LOCATED THE SIGNAL IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. MODERATE-TO-SEVERE TURBULENCE & DARKNESS PREVENTED A VISUAL SIGHTING. AT 0630 THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND; THE AIRPLANE HAD IMPACTED THE SIDE OF A STEEP MOUNTAIN AT THE 3,700-FT LEVEL. NO SHOULDER HARNESSES WERE INSTALLED IN THE AIRPLANE; THE PILOT HAD BEEN EJECTED, AND THE INJURED PAX HAD REMAINED IN HIS SEAT. BOTH DIED DUE TO HYPOTHERMIA. A LOADED RIFLE WITH A TELESCOPE WAS FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE. IT HAD ONE ROUND IN THE CHAMBER & 3 ROUNDS IN THE MAGAZINE. THE SAFETY WAS ON. APRX 20 MOUNTAIN GOATS WERE SIGHTED ON THE ALPINE AREA NEAR THE CRASH SITE BY INVESTIGATORS. AN AIRMET WAS IN EFFECT FOR OCCASIONAL MODERATE, ISOLATED SEVERE TURBULENCE BELOW 8,000 FT, WITHIN 2,000 FT OF TERRAIN. THE PILOT'S TOXICOLOGICAL FINDINGS WERE 0.121% FOR BLOOD ALCOHOL AND 0.267% FOR URINE ALCOHOL. THE PILOT'S WIFE STATED THAT HE DID NOT POSSESS A PILOT'S LICENSE, AND HAD BEEN 'FLYING FOR YEARS.'
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, IN MODERATE-TO-SEVERE TURBULENT CONDITIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL. IN ADDITION, THE PILOT WAS PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED DUE TO ALCOHOL. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN CURRENT OR FORECAST WEATHER FOR THE AREA, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND THE EXISTING TURBULENT AND WINDY CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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