What happened
The pilot and his family departed from an unspecified location on February 8, 1987, intending to travel to Vermont for a ski trip. Despite their departure, the flight never reached its destination. The aircraft remained missing for several months until it was located on a mountain plateau on May 2, 1987.
The investigation
Examination of the wreckage revealed that the Cessna 172 impacted the terrain in a level attitude while in cruise configuration. Investigators found no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or pre-impact failures that would have contributed to the accident. The aircraft was identified as N98SW during the recovery process.
Findings
Weather conditions reportedly deteriorated significantly around the estimated time of the accident, which occurred shortly after sunset. The approaching darkness likely compounded the difficulty of navigation in the worsening weather. No mechanical issues were found to explain the loss of control or navigation failure.