At about 1250 Alaska time, the airplane was destroyed by impact and postcrash fire when it collided with rising terrain while climbing. The Private pilot and sole passenger were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed. The accident airplane was part of a group of 10 airplanes flying from Washington and California on an aerial tour of Alaska. The pilot of the airplane behind the accident airplane indicated he saw the pilot enter a broad pass, and then start to climb as it neared a saddle at the end of the pass. The following pilot noted that he started his climb prior to the accident pilot. Shortly after the accident pilot initiated his climb, the following pilot reported he saw a plume of smoke coming from near the end of the pass.
August 5, 2005, Denali Park, Alaska / Beech V35B Bonanza
At about 1250 Alaska time, the airplane was destroyed by impact and postcrash fire when it collided with rising terrain while climbing. The Private pilot and sole passenger were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed. The accident airplane was part of a group of 10 airplanes flying from Washington and California on an aerial tour of Alaska. The pilot of the airplane behind the accident airplane indicated he saw the pilot enter a broad pass, and then start to climb as it neared a saddle at the end of the pass. The following pilot noted that he started his climb prior to the accident pilot. Shortly after the accident pilot initiated his climb, the following pilot reported he saw a plume...
Key Takeaways:
- An airplane on an Alaska aerial tour crashed into rising terrain in visual conditions, resulting in the fatal injury of the private pilot and sole passenger, and the aircraft's destruction by impact and post-crash fire.
- The accident occurred while the pilot was climbing towards a saddle at the end of a broad pass.
- A pilot flying behind the accident aircraft observed it initiate its climb later than his own, and shortly after the climb began, saw a plume of smoke from the crash site.
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