Pilot Error blamed for 2013 Iditarod crash

Post date: May 12, 2014 11:29:06 PM

Pilot error blamed for fatal plane crash during 2013 Iditarod

The National Transportation Safety Board on Thursday released a probable cause report finding pilot error in the triple-fatality plane crash during last year’s Iditarod. The agency determined the accident was caused by pilot Ronald “Ted” Smith’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering inside a box canyon, which caused an aerodynamic stall. A contributing factor was the pilot's visual disorientation in flat light conditions.