Incident Overview
During arrival, the pilot was cleared for a VOR-A approach to the Nevada County Airport. The approach controller advised the pilot that he had failed to issue the required radar information for the final approach fix and instructed the pilot to initiate a missed approach.
Loss of Radar Contact
Radar contact with the aircraft was lost when it was 1/2 mile east of the airport, at an altitude of 3,500 feet, on a westerly heading.
Crash Details
Subsequently, the aircraft crashed 1/8 mile south of the airport at an elevation of about 2,900 feet. Examination revealed the aircraft had crashed while in a steep nose-down attitude on wooded terrain. No evidence of any preimpact failure of the airframe or powerplant was found.
Weather Conditions
Witnesses who heard the aircraft fly over the airport stated that it was snowing moderately, and they estimated the surface visibility was 1/2 mile.