NTSB Factual Report

On August 8, 2010, about 1305 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-32-260 airplane, N3432W, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain about 35 miles southeast of Chickaloon, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal local flight under the provisions of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 91. The private pilot and one passenger received minor injuries; the three remaining passengers were not injured. The flight departed the Palmer Airport, Palmer Alaska, about 1230.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on August 28, the pilot said he departed the airport in VFR conditions with various cloud layers throughout the area. He said he was taking visiting family friends for a flight around a local glacier he was very familiar with. The pilot reported that as he climbed toward the snowfields at the top of the glacier, the clouds rapidly filled in underneath, forming an undercast, and built up around the airplane as he attempted to climb above them. He said as the clouds surrounded the airplane, he lost sight of the ground, and found himself in instrument meteorological conditions. The pilot said the airplane had slowed to about 70 knots airspeed, and he was making a wings level pedal turn when the airplane impacted the glacier. The airplane slid 60-70 yards before stopping. The pilot said there were no mechanical problem with the airplane prior to the accident. He reported the wings and fuselage were damaged during the impact.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in an in-flight collision with terrain.