Accident Overview
A pilot who resided near the airport and had been commuting to Sacramento, California, for approximately three weeks crashed shortly after taking off. The aircraft impacted terrain about two miles west of the airport while in a right-wing-low attitude on a heading of roughly 060 degrees. The airport's prominent runway was 27, and the field was surrounded by hills.
Witness Observations
Multiple families in the vicinity heard the aircraft start and depart. One witness, a pilot, estimated the weather as 100-foot overcast ceiling, one-quarter mile visibility, calm wind, and moderate rainfall. A farmer working near the crash site stated that he heard the aircraft take off, and soon after, the engine produced a significantly louder noise, reminiscent of a power dive.
Pilot Information
No records were found to indicate that the pilot had received any instrument training. The pilot had been making a commuting trip to Sacramento for about three weeks prior to the accident.