Background
The flight was returning to San Jose, California, after an extended cross-country trip to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, which began in late July.
Flight History
On the day of the accident, at 0645, the pilot received a weather briefing at Miles City, Montana. He requested the general outlook to the Grand Canyon and Arizona area and was advised of large buildups in western Arizona and Nevada, forecast to move northeast. The pilot departed at 0712 and made en route stops at Riverton, Wyoming, and Rock Springs, Wyoming. At 1845, over Vernal, Utah, the pilot requested a weather update.
Accident Details
The aircraft subsequently impacted a mountain at the 8,700-foot level. At the time of the accident, considerable thunderstorm activity was present throughout the state.
Pilot Information
The pilot's blood alcohol level was 0.093%. He was not a certified flight instructor (CFI) but had given a student pilot 29 hours of dual instruction. His logbook showed that he had also given flight instruction to other student pilots. On January 5, 1983, the pilot's driver's license was suspended indefinitely for driving under the influence of alcohol. His blood alcohol content was reportedly 0.093%.