Accident Overview
On the afternoon of the accident, the pilot drove from his home along Highway 199, which traverses the Coastal Mountain Range through a narrow, winding valley and is the most direct route from Gasquet to Yreka. The pilot intended to fly the aircraft to Yreka for an annual inspection and did not obtain a preflight weather briefing.
Witness Observations
A pilot witness at the airport reported that the aircraft departed on Runway 6 and then maintained about 200 feet above ground level (AGL) while flying eastbound over the highway. The weather at the time was a 600-foot overcast ceiling with good visibility beneath the clouds. Another witness, who was driving on the highway, saw the aircraft overfly him just below the clouds at 700 feet AGL. The witness noted that the bases of the clouds were below the tops of the surrounding mountain peaks.
Accident Site and Impact
The accident site is located on the western slopes of a 2,800-foot tall coastal mountain, adjacent to and south of the highway. The elevation of the site is about 1,900 feet above mean sea level (MSL). Impact marks and damage to trees indicated that the aircraft struck the trees and the steep mountain slope in a level to slight climb attitude with little bank angle.
Pilot Background
The last entry recorded in the pilot's logbook was dated January 2, 1990. On the pilot's application for his medical certificate on May 1, 1991, he reported that he had not flown for the preceding six months.