What happened
Following a four-hour night cross-country flight, an aircraft was detected on radar 50 miles west of its intended destination. At the time of detection, the aircraft was flying at 7,500 feet MSL on a ground track of 109 degrees with a ground speed of 167 knots. The Air Traffic Control (ATC) facility had no communication with the aircraft and was not expecting it, as there was no record of a flight plan or flight following being established.
As the flight progressed, the aircraft began a descent while maintaining its 109-degree ground track at 169 knots. The final radar sweep showed the aircraft level at 1,900 feet MSL, traveling at 149 knots on the same track. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft struck a 2,100-foot ridge line in level flight at an altitude of 1,800 feet MSL. The impact site was located 4.2 miles west of the destination airport, which sat at a bearing of 105 degrees from the crash location. At the time of the accident, cloud coverage was approximately 2,200 feet MSL.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed no preimpact failure of the engines or the airframe. Investigators also noted that the pilot had a recent history of high blood sugar and was taking medication to manage the condition.