Flight Details
The flight involved a commercial pilot positioning an airplane from the departure airport to another airport. The flight occurred during a dark night with overcast skies and no discernible horizon. After departure, the pilot climbed to a cruise altitude between 1,200 and 1,400 feet mean sea level (msl).
Collision
Approximately 4 miles south of the departure airport, the airplane collided with an east-west oriented ridge at an elevation of 1,200 feet msl. The ridgeline is perpendicular to the direct route between the departure and destination airports. It rises from west to east and has a summit elevation of 1,714 feet msl.
Airport Information
The departure airport was a newly commissioned airport located 3 miles east-northeast of the old airport. The accident flight was the pilot's second trip to the new airport and his first night departure from either the old or new airport. A direct flight from the new airport to the destination requires a higher altitude to clear the ridgeline compared to a direct flight from the old airport. A direct flight from the old airport crosses the same ridgeline farther to the west, where the ridge elevation is less than 500 feet msl.