Accident Overview
An aircraft collided with the eastern face of a mountain approximately nine nautical miles northwest of Sedona Airport at an elevation of about 6,000 ft mean sea level. The Sedona Airport, located 1,300 ft below the accident site, had estimated weather conditions of a 500-ft overcast ceiling, visibility of 5 miles with intermittent rain and snow showers.
Weather Briefing
During preflight briefings, the pilot was advised to expect deteriorating weather conditions, including mountain obscurement, icing, and moderate turbulence. The briefings were complete except for missing observations from Prescott (0654) and Flagstaff (0530 to 0851), which were not transmitted due to an inoperative circuit.
Weather Conditions at Accident Time
According to a National Transportation Safety Board weather study, cloud bases at the time were between 5,000 and 6,000 ft MSL, with cloud tops at 11,000 ft and higher layers above. Flight visibility in clouds was zero miles. Moderate turbulence existed below 10,000 ft. The weather included snow and rain, with the freezing level at 7,000 ft.
Conclusion
The aircraft crashed into the mountain while en route. The probable cause of the accident is not stated in the source.