What happened
The aircraft was operating in level cruise when it impacted a mountain terrain at an elevation of 9,300 feet. At the time of the event, the pilot was navigating toward his intended destination. The minimum obstacle clearance altitude for the specific geographic area was established at 10,800 feet, indicating that the aircraft was flying below the required safe altitude for terrain avoidance.
The accident occurred during hours of darkness, which likely reduced visual references for terrain awareness. Despite the lack of adverse weather conditions, the pilot failed to maintain adequate clearance from the mountainous terrain.