What happened
The flight departed the Alamogordo White Sands Regional Airport following a scheduled fuel stop. Prior to departure, the pilot notified Air Traffic Control (ATC) that they were unfamiliar with the local area. At 2321, the pilot was informed that departure radar was currently out of service.
The aircraft departed under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). At 2324, ATC advised the pilot that radar services had been restored. The pilot confirmed the aircraft was climbing through 5,300 feet. During this time, a discussion took place between the pilot and the controller regarding terrain clearance. At 2324, the pilot indicated they were performing a left turn because they were uncertain if a hill was obstructing their path.
Shortly thereafter, the airplane impacted a mountain at 6,100 feet MSL, which was 1,500 feet below the summit. The minimum vectoring altitude for that specific area was 11,000 feet.