On March 20, 1985, a Beech B-19 (registration N9734Q) was involved in an aviation accident near Flagstaff, AZ. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft struck a mountain ridge approximately 150 feet below the crest during a night return flight over difficult terrain, despite prior weather briefings indicating instrument and marginal visual conditions.
What happened
The pilot departed into dark night conditions for a return flight over mountainous terrain. Prior to departure, the pilot received numerous weather briefings that reported both Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) and Marginal Visual Meteorological Conditions (MVFR). Despite these warnings regarding visibility and weather, the aircraft continued its flight path over the difficult landscape. The aircraft subsequently impacted a mountain ridge, striking approximately 150 feet below the crest. The collision occurred about 6 miles from the airport of departure.
The investigation
No specific mechanical examination or post-impact investigation details were provided in the source text. The narrative focuses solely on the flight conditions and the point of impact relative to the departure airport.