Accident Overview
An airplane struck the upslope side of a mountain at the 500-foot level and came to rest on the opposite side of the 1,000-foot high mountain. The impact occurred during an attempted landing on the mountainside.
Pilot Report
The pilot stated that while at cruise flight, the engine sputtered. In response, he executed a landing on the mountainside. No further details of the pilot's actions were provided.
Engine Examination
Following the accident, the engine was inspected and no problems were found. The reason for the reported sputter remains undetermined.
Weather Conditions
Marginal visual flight rules (VFR) and instrument flight rules (IFR) weather conditions were forecast for the area at the time of the accident. The actual weather encountered during the flight was not specified.
Terrain Observations
To the immediate left of the crash site, there were miles of open terrain at sea level. The significance of this terrain relative to the accident sequence is not stated.