Accident Overview
The accident occurred during a night flight to a private ranch landing strip. The strip was equipped with an unlighted windsock at midfield and portable runway edge lights. The aircrew estimated visibility at 3 to 4 miles during arrival and reported that they would be able to land.
Sequence of Events
Personnel at the ranch heard the aircraft fly overhead. One individual reported that earlier, the wind had been blowing hard and the air was full of dust, but by the time the aircraft arrived, the dust had settled. A deputy sheriff noted that visibility was good at times but poor at other times. The aircraft owner, who was present at the ranch, stated that he could see the aircraft lights at times while it was in the traffic pattern, but at other times he could not. The aircraft made two passes before crashing in the area where it should have been on a base leg.
Wreckage Examination
An examination of the wreckage revealed that the aircraft was in a left turn at the moment of impact. After the initial impact, the aircraft bounced and slid for 663 feet, then struck a tree-covered canal levee and burned. No evidence of a preimpact or mechanical malfunction or failure was found.