Incident Overview
A pilot on a cross-country flight made radio contact with Elko Radio, requesting the Salt Lake City weather. The pilot reported being at 11,500 feet and operating under visual flight rules (VFR) on top. The specialist on duty could not provide the requested weather information due to a computer system outage, instead recommending that the pilot contact the Cedar City flight watch for weather updates. No record of any further communications from the pilot could be found.
Witness Account
Approximately one hour after the last radio contact, a witness reported seeing aircraft lights at a low altitude heading in a southerly direction near the eventual crash site. The witness stated that weather conditions at the time included snow and icy conditions, and the state highway patrol confirmed that blizzard conditions existed in the area.
Wreckage Examination
Examination of the wreckage revealed that the aircraft had descended into the desert in a slightly nose-down attitude with a steep right wing-down orientation, on a track of approximately 170 degrees. No evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction of the aircraft or its engine was found.
Pilot Background
The pilot had a documented history of hypoxic problems. The last altitude reported by the pilot, 11,500 feet, falls within the average sub-hypoxic range, where hypoxia may begin to affect individuals, particularly those with preexisting susceptibility.