ANC00LA108 · Cessna 180

The commercial certificated pilot, an owner of a fishing lodge, departed a remote area of beach with three passengers to return to the lodge. The accident airplane was one of two airplanes transporting lodge guests. The beach was located along an area of coast on the south side of low mountains. The pilots of the two airplanes discussed several routes of travel to the lodge, located on the north side of the mountains. All of the routes necessitated traversing mountain passes of varying elevations. A scattered layer of low clouds partially obscured several mountain tops. The two pilots verbally agreed to head toward a pass that would require a longer flight, but would traverse lower terrain. After the two airplanes departed the beach, the pilot of the second airplane was initially leading the flight of two airplanes. After departure, the pilot of the first airplane reported that the most direct route through the mountains appeared to be open, and he elected to proceed toward the pass. The pilot of the second airplane then followed the first airplane by about 1/3 mile, and remained in radio contact with the first pilot. The two airplanes climbed to 3,000 feet msl, heading for the mountain pass. The second pilot said that 3,000 feet msl was the minimum altitude that he and the first pilot normally utilized to cross the pass. As the two airplanes proceeded northbound toward the pass, the pilot of the second airplane observed a solid layer of low clouds obscuring the pass, and he began to lose sight of the first airplane in clouds. He then lost sight of the first airplane, and began making a 180 degree turn to proceed toward lower terrain. The pilot of the first airplane radioed to the second pilot that he might want to turn around. The second pilot was already in a turn, and he asked the first pilot if he was turning around. The first pilot replied by stating, 'well, I'm kind of committed now.' That was the last radio contact with the pilot of the first airplane. The second pilot proceeded over lower terrain to the lodge. The first airplane was not there. The second pilot departed the lodge, searching for the first airplane. Near the mountains, the ceilings were about 900 feet overcast. The second pilot said he could hear an ELT signal near the mouth of a creek drainage. He could only get within about 5 miles of the pass. The accident airplane was reported overdue, but because of low clouds, a search helicopter was unable to reach the area of the mountain pass. The wreckage was spotted the following day, and two passengers in the rear seats were transported to medical facilities, but one passenger died before reaching a hospital.

Verbatim NTSB analysis from the NTSB dataset