What happened
During a night cross-country flight, an aircraft was operating in level controlled cruise flight when it struck upslope high mountainous terrain. Before takeoff, the pilot notified air traffic control that he had received the airport weather report. At the time of departure, the sky condition featured broken layers at approximately 5,500 and 7,000 feet mean sea level.
As the aircraft climbed from 4,900 to 5,200 feet, the pilot requested cloud elevation information from ATC, noting that he appeared to be flying in and out of clouds. The pilot continued his climb into clearer conditions. The flight proceeded along the centerline of Victor Airway 183, which has a published course of 195 degrees. The pilot was experienced with this specific roundtrip route between Bakersfield and his home-base at Santa Barbara Municipal Airport.
Radar data from the Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center showed the aircraft cruising at approximately 6,500 feet during the final minutes of the flight. The aircraft maintained its course until it impacted a mountain peak. The bearing from the initial point of impact to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport was 197 degrees, while the main wreckage was located 0.25 miles from the initial impact point at a bearing of 198 degrees.
The investigation
The investigation reviewed radar-recorded flight data and transponder information, which indicated a cruise altitude of about 6,500 feet via mode C reporting. Controllers involved in the flight were using sectional aeronautical charts that depicted a mountain peak with an elevation of 6,840 feet along the route. The controller was providing radar flight following service and was aware that the minimum enroute altitude (MEA) for instrument clearances on this airway was 9,000 feet.