On October 25, 2004, a Cessna 310I (registration N8175M) was involved in an aviation accident near Draper, UT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning and decision making, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed resulting in a stall. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot reported encountering rising terrain and attempting to pitch up, but was too close to reverse course. The aircraft aligned with the slope, stalled, and impacted the ground.
What happened
The pilot reported that he encountered rising terrain and pitched the aircraft up. He stated that he saw terrain ahead of his flight path but was too close to reverse course. The pilot aligned the aircraft with the slope of the terrain and heard the stall warning prior to impacting terrain. The airplane came to rest inverted, sustaining substantial damage.
The investigation
The investigation revealed that the pilot encountered rising terrain and pitched the aircraft up. He stated that he saw terrain ahead of his flight path but was too close to reverse course. The pilot aligned the aircraft with the slope of the terrain and heard the stall warning prior to impacting terrain. The airplane came to rest inverted, sustaining substantial damage.
Findings
The investigation revealed that the pilot encountered rising terrain and pitched the aircraft up. He stated that he saw terrain ahead of his flight path but was too close to reverse course. The pilot aligned the aircraft with the slope of the terrain and heard the stall warning prior to impacting terrain. The airplane came to rest inverted, sustaining substantial damage.