Flight Details
The aircraft was operating under instrument flight rules (IFR) to an airport that did not have an instrument approach procedure. Air traffic control cleared the flight to descend to 12,000 feet, which was the IFR minimum en route altitude (MEA) for the area, at a point 30 nautical miles northeast of the airport.
Accident Sequence
Approximately three minutes before the accident, the pilot was issued a cruise clearance at 12,000 feet, advised that the airport was at 12 o'clock and 17 nautical miles, and instructed to report the arrival to the flight service station. The pilot then initiated a descent on a track directly toward the airport. The aircraft subsequently impacted trees at 9,200 feet mean sea level (MSL) near the top of a mountain ridgeline, 13 nautical miles from the airport.
Weather Conditions
Evidence indicates that the aircraft was in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) at the time of impact and that the ridgeline was obscured in clouds. Weather reported at Grand Junction, 50 nautical miles north, included partial obscuration, low scattered clouds, an overcast ceiling at 4,000 feet, and visibility of one mile in fog.
Investigative Evidence
Investigators noted that the aircraft's track led directly from the cruise clearance point to the accident site, and the descent was initiated before reaching the airport. The terrain at the impact location was a mountain ridgeline at an elevation of 9,200 feet MSL, which was below the cleared altitude of 12,000 feet but above the airport elevation. The absence of an instrument approach procedure for the destination airport meant that the pilot was responsible for visual conditions to complete the approach.