What happened
The pilot and a passenger departed from Lander, Wyoming, traveling toward a ranch located in the Bison Basin area near Jeffrey City, Wyoming. The purpose of the flight was to hunt coyotes. There is no documentation indicating that the pilot had filed a flight plan or received a weather briefing prior to departure.
During the flight, the airplane struck a ravine situated within open, rolling range land. At the time of impact, the aircraft was in a near vertical attitude and was positioned in close proximity to powerlines. The occupants of the aircraft were 2 fatalities.
The investigation
The investigation examined the area surrounding the powerlines at the crash site. The powerlines were found to be neither stretched nor severed. Furthermore, there were no signs of electrical arcing or marks indicating wire transfer on the aircraft.
Inside the rear of the airplane, investigators recovered a shotgun. The weapon had an open breech and empty chambers, and it had not been discharged. Additionally, it was noted that the passenger was wearing heavy winter mittens.