Accident Details
The accident occurred during a flight to a ski resort. The pilots had agreed to transport five passengers to the resort. The airplane collided with terrain at an elevation of approximately 6,580 feet MSL, about 7.5 miles southwest of the destination airport. The impact site was on a brush and snow-covered 45-degree slope, and the aircraft was in a level left turn at the time.
Flight and Authorization
According to the airplane owner, the pilot-in-command, who was a company pilot, did not have permission to use the airplane. The owner also stated that he did not know the passengers. There is no record of any weather briefings obtained for the flight.
Airport and Weather Conditions
The ski resort airport is located in mountainous terrain at an elevation of 6,750 feet MSL and does not have an instrument approach procedure. Weather in the area included mountains locally obscured, with scattered to broken clouds between 3,000 and 5,000 feet, tops to 9,000 feet, and widely scattered visibilities below 3 miles with snow and rain showers.
Wreckage Examination
Examination of the wreckage and impact site revealed that the aircraft collided with the brush and snow-covered 45-degree slope while in a level left turn.