Incident Overview
An aircraft, operating as a personal flight, collided with mountainous terrain. The accident site was located about 900 feet below a 9,200-foot ridgeline. The area was snow-covered, and an avalanche buried the majority of the wreckage, which was scattered down a 40-degree slope for approximately half a mile.
Pre-Flight Communications
Earlier that day, the pilot made several telephone calls to the Flight Service Station (FSS) for weather briefings. The specialist reported that VFR flight was not recommended at the time the pilot had originally planned, but conditions were expected to improve later in the day. The pilot indicated a flight course that differed from the accident flight course, which took the aircraft into high mountainous terrain.
The Flight
During the pilot's last conversation with the FSS, the specialist informed the pilot of thick cloud cover over the mountains and that he may have difficulty getting over the mountains. Radar data indicates that the aircraft was maneuvering in a possible course reversal when it dropped from radar coverage.
Wreckage and Recovery
Due to adverse conditions, recovery of the wreckage was not attempted until late summer. When recovery was attempted, a majority of the wreckage, including the cockpit, fuselage, and engine, had slid down the 40-degree slope into a lake directly below. Those items have not been recovered.