What happened
The flight involved an aircraft that made two unscheduled stops along its route. The pilot reported becoming confused and disorienting during these stops. During one of the landings, he was unable to obtain a sectional chart but proceeded with takeoff without it. Following the second landing, the pilot departed the airport despite observing a red light signal from the control tower.
After departing, the pilot monitored weather reports on the aircraft radio. Although conditions were deteriorating, he continued his flight attempting to maintain visual flight rules (VFR). The pilot was unaware of the high terrain situated between Colorado Springs and Denver. Seeing lights on both sides, he believed he was flying through a valley. He subsequently flew into a ridge with no warning.
The investigation
Local residents reported that there were strong winds, blowing snow, and low visibility at the time and place of the accident. These conditions contributed to the pilot's loss of situational awareness.
Findings
The pilot was disoriented due to confusion during unplanned stops. He took off without a required sectional chart and ignored a tower signal. He attempted to maintain VFR in deteriorating weather, leading to controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) due to lack of terrain awareness.