Circumstances
The pilot and his wife were flying from Lagrangeville, New York, to Las Vegas, Nevada, without winter clothing or survival equipment. The airplane departed Colorado Springs, Colorado, with full fuel tanks. An unconfirmed radar report placed the airplane approximately 2 hours later near Creede, Colorado. An extensive search for the airplane began on November 20, 1999, but was unsuccessful.
Discovery
Hikers located the airplane on July 20, 2000, at an elevation of 12,724 feet. Examination of the accident site indicated that the pilot had made a precautionary landing on a mountain ridge. No sectional navigation maps were found in the airplane, and no flight planning documentation was located (the pilot had not filed a flight plan).
Aircraft Condition
The airplane was found with the landing gear extended and separated from the airplane. The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) had an expired battery and was damaged. A handheld transceiver was found under the pilot's seat, and the airplane's radios were in the on position.
Weather
Satellite imagery and meteorological reports indicated that clouds would have obscured the mountain ridges in the accident area.
Pilot Information
The pilot's son reported that the pilot had recently been diagnosed with diabetes and was taking insulin. The pilot and his wife were found with multiple portions of additional items of clothing on, suggesting both survived the impact.