What happened
Prior to the flight, the pilot obtained weather information through a commercial computer service known as CompuServe. However, there were no records available to confirm if this weather data was complete. The forecast for the flight route included rain and clouds, with mountain obscuration expected due to fog and precipitation.
As the aircraft entered Tehachাপi Pass, Mode C radar data indicated that the plane had descended to an altitude of approximately 200 feet above the ground. Two witnesses on the ground observed the aircraft flying about 100 feet above the highway on the north side of the pass. Due to ongoing snow showers and clouds, visibility of the aircraft was extremely limited.
Witnesses reported that the aircraft initiated a left turn, at which point the nose pitched up while the wings entered a steep bank. Following this maneuver, the aircraft's nose pitched down, resulting in a crash into the ground.