Incident Overview
An aviation accident occurred when a single-engine aircraft, returning from an aerial reconnaissance mission, collided with a ridge during a night descent into the airport of original departure. The pilot had been using a LORAN-based altitude and distance step-down procedure to ensure terrain clearance due to the lack of ground references aside from the lights at a municipal building near the airport.
Flight Details
The flight was conducted under dark night conditions. The pilot reported using the LORAN step-down approach to maintain safe altitude while descending. The winds at the time included a 40-knot headwind. Notably, the landing light was not used during the descent.
Sequence of Events
During the descent, the pilot looked inside the aircraft to configure for landing. Immediately after shifting attention inside, a passenger yelled that the lights near the airport had disappeared. About one second later, both the pilot and passenger pulled back on the yoke in an apparent attempt to avoid an obstacle. Simultaneously, the aircraft impacted a ridge.
Conclusion
No further details regarding the aircraft type, registration, number of occupants, injuries, or damage were provided in the source. The accident highlights the challenges of night operations with limited visual references. The sequence of events as described indicates a loss of situational awareness leading to controlled flight into terrain.