Flight Details
On June 13, 1982, at approximately 2015 Pacific Daylight Time, an aircraft departed Petaluma, California, on a night visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight to Riverton, Wyoming. A planned en route stop was scheduled at Elco, Nevada. No records were found of a weather briefing or a flight plan for the trip.
Search and Wreckage
The aircraft was declared overdue on June 16, 1982. The wreckage was located on June 22, 1982, on a mountain ridge at an elevation of approximately 7,500 feet. The impact site indicated the aircraft struck the terrain in a steep nose-down attitude. Wreckage was dispersed over a small area around the impact point. The fuselage, engine, and wings were destroyed by impact, but the empennage remained intact. The propeller tips were shattered, and chordwise scoring and leading-edge gouges were found on the blades.
Investigation
The estimated time of impact was 2128 PDT on a dark night. No significant weather conditions were reported in the area. Investigators found no preimpact mechanical discrepancies with the aircraft. The pilot's medical certificate required the use of corrective lenses and was not valid for night flight or for flight by color signal control. Two pairs of sunglasses (in cases) were found in the wreckage, but none were found to have been worn by the pilot at the time of the accident.
Probable Cause
The investigation did not state a probable cause.