What happened
Prior to departing Helena, Montana, at 1209, the pilot received a weather briefing from the Great Falls Flight Service Station (FSS). The area forecast valid until 0700Z on November 3, 1982, was not available at that time. The FSS representative informed the pilot of this deficiency and recommended obtaining another briefing during a refueling stop in Salt Lake City. The forecast indicated clouds between 7,000 and 10,000 feet with scattered showers and snow showers over northwest New Mexico spreading eastward. Mountain tops were expected to be locally obscured above 6,000 feet. An AIRMET XRAY was in effect for the area, calling for terrain obscuration in clouds above 6,000 feet and precipitation with frequent rime icing between 8,000 feet and 14,000 feet MSL.
The flight arrived in Ogden, Utah, about 1400 and subsequently departed between 1500 and 1530. There is no record that the pilot requested another weather briefing. The aircraft impacted trees on the northeast slope of Canjilon Peak at the 10,481-foot level. Weather information from the previous page was the 1852 observation at Farmington, New Mexico, located 100 miles west of the accident site.
Findings
The pilot failed to obtain an updated weather briefing before departing Ogden, Utah. The aircraft encountered rime icing and terrain obscuration in clouds above 6,000 feet. The flight impacted trees on the northeast slope of Canjilon Peak at the 10,481-foot level.
Safety message
Pilots should obtain updated weather briefings before departing each leg of a flight, especially when conditions are forecast to deteriorate.