A Cessna Caravan 208B on a Part 135 daylight VFR trip between Quinhagak, Alaska (PAQH) and Togiak, Alaska (PATG), slammed into the side of a hill about 10 nm northwest of its destination after encountering IFR conditions along the route. The aircraft was operated by Hageland Aviation Services Inc, dba Ravn Connect, as flight 1133. The October 2016 accident claimed the lives of both pilots and the lone passenger aboard. Both pilots held commercial pilot certificates with an instrument rating. At the time of departure from PATG, local weather reported calm wind, visibility 9 miles, light rain, with scattered clouds at 1,400 feet agl and an overcast at 4,400 feet agl. The temperature was 8°C.
Flight Crew Continues VFR Flight Into IFR Conditions
Key Takeaways:
- A VFR Part 135 flight crashed in Alaska after encountering IFR conditions and high terrain, with its terrain avoidance system (TAWS) inhibited, a practice common for avoiding nuisance alerts.
- The NTSB cited the operator, Hageland Aviation Services, for inadequate Crew Resource Management (CRM) and Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) training, and criticized the FAA for failing to ensure proper training or mandate effective TAWS protections in low-altitude VFR operations.
- The investigation highlighted systemic deficiencies, including poor low-altitude IFR infrastructure in Alaska, which encourages VFR flights in challenging conditions, and the lack of crash-resistant flight recorders, which limited crucial data for analysis.
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