Accident Details
The aircraft had been flown on several local flights earlier that day. The last known flight originated at Ernest J. Love Airport, Prescott, Arizona, at 1600 MST. Subsequently, it crashed near the departure end of Runway 02 at the Quarter Circle 'J' Airport, located in the local area of Skull Valley, Arizona. There were no witnesses to the accident.
Wreckage Examination
An examination of the wreckage revealed that the aircraft had impacted in a near-vertical, nose-down attitude. The aft part of the empennage was bent and twisted to the right. The propeller blades showed numerous chordwise scuffing and 'S' twisting signatures. No evidence of a preimpact part malfunction or failure was found.
Runway Characteristics
Runway 02 has a 2% uphill gradient, and high terrain is located north of the airport.