Incident Summary
A twin-engine airplane impacted mountainous terrain at an elevation of 6,700 feet during a moonless night. The crash occurred approximately 50 feet below the crest of a mountain, in the approximate direction of the radar ground track.
Flight and Communication
The instrument-rated pilot had radioed the Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) requesting flight following and a vector to the destination airport. The pilot reported flying at 6,700 feet and descending. The controller identified the airplane on radar and issued a recommended heading. The pilot then asked for additional distance and airspeed information, which was provided. No further radio contact was established after that exchange.
Post-Accident Examination
A post-accident examination of the airframe and engines revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have prevented normal operation of the airplane.
Air Traffic Control Actions
Interviews with controllers providing flight following indicated they did not believe the airplane was in immediate danger of impacting terrain. Consequently, they did not issue a low-altitude alert. Controllers are required to alert an aircraft if they judge its altitude to be in unsafe proximity to terrain or obstructions. The controllers stated they had handled numerous aircraft in the same area at similar altitudes without incident, and they noted that terrain information was not overlaid on their video map for the accident area.
Environmental Factors
Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot bore the responsibility for maintaining terrain clearance. The sectional chart for the accident area shows a maximum elevation figure (MEF) of 7,400 feet for the quadrant containing the accident site.