On the day of the accident, the Muellerage had completed multiple trips, shuttling the passengers, caribou meat, and hunting gear from a remote hunting location to the Tatitna Airport. The passenger later told the NTSB that after refueling the main wing fuel tanks and loading the airplane with two butchered caribou and other hunting gear, they taxied to the end of the runway and departed the Tatitna Airport to the east.  

Once above the treetops they initiated a left turn, when he heard the pilot start to swear and say "I should have taken off the other way". Realizing they were going to crash, he shut his eyes and put his hands up to protect his face. He had no recollection of the accident sequence. 

The NTSB reported the gross weight of the airplane at the time of the accident was estimated to be 2,392.25 pounds, or 642.25 pounds over the approved maximum takeoff gross weight for the airplane. The estimated center of gravity at the time of the accident was positive 25.07 inches. The center of gravity range at 1,750 pounds (maximum gross weight) is positive 14.0 inches to positive 20.0 inches.