What happened
On the afternoon of the accident, the pilot was operating an aircraft from Gasquet toward Yreka to undergo an annual inspection. Witnesses at the airport observed the aircraft depart on Runway 6, maintaining an altitude of approximately 200 feet AGL while flying eastbound over Highway 199. Another witness driving on the highway reported seeing the aircraft fly just below the cloud base at approximately 700 feet AGL.
The weather conditions featured a 600 ft overcast layer with good visibility beneath the clouds; notably, the bases of the clouds were lower than the peaks of the surrounding mountains. The aircraft eventually struck trees and a steep mountain slope on the western side of a 2,800-foot Coastal Mountain, located adjacent to and south of the highway. The impact site was at an elevation of approximately 1,900 feet MSL. Evidence from impact marks and tree damage indicated the aircraft hit the terrain in a level to slight climb attitude with minimal bank angle.
Findings
Investigation into the pilot's recent flight history revealed that the last entry in the pilot's logbook was dated January 2, 1990. Additionally, on a medical certificate application dated May 1, 1991, the pilot reported that he had not flown for the previous six months. The pilot also did not obtain a preflight weather briefing prior to the flight.