Incident Overview
A pilot informed a friend of an intention to conduct a local sightseeing flight. Residents of a small town located two miles from the accident site reported observing the aircraft circling the town at low altitude several times around the time of the accident. No witnesses directly observed the accident itself.
Wreckage Discovery
The Search and Rescue satellite detected the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) signal at 2125 hours. A ground party located the wreckage later during the night at 0150 hours.
Witness Account
A glider pilot who flew through the area at approximately the time residents reported seeing the aircraft also observed an aircraft maneuvering at low altitude near the town. The glider pilot reported an outside air temperature between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit and downdrafts of 500 to 1,000 feet per minute in the area.
Accident Site Conditions
The density altitude at the accident site was calculated to be approximately 11,000 feet. The terrain at the site is rough and mountainous, with sharply rising terrain to the north, west, and south. There were three persons on board the aircraft.
Fuel Findings
Four five-gallon drums were found at the accident site. A placard for auto fuel was found on the instrument panel. No Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) had been issued for the use of auto fuel in this aircraft.