Accident Summary
A pilot-in-command, seated in the left seat, was flying the airplane while a right-seated passenger—also a pilot—assisted with navigation. The pilot entered a right-hand traffic pattern. Believing the airplane appeared slightly high when turning onto the final approach leg, the pilot extended full flaps. The airplane then descended below the elevation of the mountain top airport. In response, the pilot applied full engine power but did not retract the wing flaps. Seconds later, the stall warning horn activated. The pilot banked the airplane to the right, and the airplane collided with the side of a cliff, within 150 yards of the approaching end of the runway.
Witness Observations
A witness, who was waiting to take off, observed the approaching airplane. The witness reported that when the airplane was about one-eighth mile from the runway, it was flying in a nose-high attitude, its speed was slow, its flaps appeared fully extended, and it was very low.