Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's improper in flight planning/decision, and his failure to maintain a proper altitude to clear the terrain. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's lack of familiarity with the geographic area, and his lack of total experience in the type operation.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot said that while on his first cross country flight in mountainous terrain, he over corrected for the crosswinds and became disoriented. He flew into a valley and the airplane crashed on the mountainside when it would not out climb the rising terrain. The pilot had a total of 124 flight hours, of which only 20 were in alaska. All other hours had been flown in florida. He had made no flights, either dual or solo, in mountainous terrain such as that where the accident occurred.
Source record
Factual narrative
-