Flight Details
At about 1440 Pacific Daylight Time, a non-instrument rated pilot departed from Antioch, California, on a flight to Burbank, California. No known in-flight communications were made until the pilot contacted the Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) at 1725 PDT.
Communications and Weather Information
When the pilot contacted TRACON, he reported inbound at 7500 feet and requested a special VFR clearance to the airport. He was instructed to maintain VFR and was advised that the weather at Burbank (elevation 775 feet) was 700 feet overcast with 1 mile visibility, fog, and light drizzle. Several minutes later, communication with the aircraft was lost.
Accident Location
Subsequently, the aircraft crashed on a ridgeline approximately 9 miles north-northwest of the Burbank Airport. The impact occurred in a shallow, wings-level descent at an elevation of about 2600 feet.
Investigation Findings
No preimpact part malfunction or failure was evident. No record was found of a preflight weather briefing. Mountain tops in the area were forecast to be obscured; cloud tops were reported at 4500 feet.
Toxicology Results
Traces of medication (metabolites of chlorpheniramine and benzodiazepine) were detected only in the pilot's urine; toxicology tests of his blood were negative for alcohol and drugs.