On November 7, 1992, a Maule M5 (registration N9008E) operated by Jones, Robert E. was involved in an aviation accident near Challis, ID. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT CONTINUED THE VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE SNOW AND OBSCURATION WEATHER CONDITIONS, INADEQUATE PREFLT PLANNING/PREPARATION BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND, AND THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot departed on a VFR flight without a weather briefing, flew into obscured mountain tops, encountered a snow squall, and impacted terrain while attempting to reverse course.
Flight Details
The pilot initiated a visual flight rules (VFR) flight through mountainous terrain without obtaining a preflight weather briefing. The mountain tops in the direction of flight, which were visible from the departure airport, were obscured by clouds.
Sequence of Events
During the flight, the pilot followed a road at a low altitude above ground level up a mountain pass. Upon reaching the top of the pass, the aircraft encountered a snow squall. The pilot attempted to reverse course, but the aircraft subsequently impacted terrain in a nose-down attitude approximately 500 feet from the road in the pass.
Post-Impact
The aircraft came to rest in the mountainous area. The source does not specify injuries, fatalities, or aircraft damage details.