What happened
The aircraft failed to return to its departure airport, prompting a search operation initiated by an ELT signal. The wreckage was located after searchers were directed to the site of the impact on a steep rock face near the top of a 4,900-foot mountain.
At the time of the accident, witnesses reported that mountain tops in the area were obscured by clouds at altitudes above approximately 4,000 feet. Examination of the wreckage indicated that the airplane had "pancaked" against the side of the mountain while maintaining a 45-degree left bank. At the time of the crash, both communication radios were tuned to the emergency frequency.
The investigation
During the examination of the wreckage, investigators discovered a tear in the fuel injection flow divider diaphragm. A tear in this specific component during flight results in the immediate and complete cessation of engine operation.
Further inspection of the diaphragm revealed that the Dacron fabric was not centered within the elastomer, which deviated from the manufacturer's required specifications. This misalignment caused the Dacron fibers to undergo micro buckling failure resulting from tensile fatigue.