Accident Sequence
The pilot was last observed refueling the airplane at the departure airport. The airplane subsequently failed to arrive at its intended destination, prompting an Alert Notice (ALNOT) and initiating a search effort. No air traffic control services were provided to the pilot, and no radar data for the flight were available.
Search and Wreckage Location
The wreckage was located nearly two months after the accident, with the pilot and passenger still on board. The airplane came to rest at the base of a stand of trees following a nose-down, near-vertical descent profile. This resulted in aft crushing of the cockpit and cabin area.
Terrain and Impact Details
A pine tree measuring approximately 8 inches in circumference was found underneath and adjacent to the wreckage. The tree had been cut into 36-inch logs, indicating an operative engine and rotating propeller at the time of impact. Plotting the accident site on a topographic map showed that the wreckage was about 400 feet below a ridgeline with elevations between 9,000 and 9,300 feet. The wreckage rested below a small gap in the rapidly rising ridgeline. A valley led to the ridge, and from the valley to the accident site the average grade was 22 percent. From the accident site to the top of the ridge, the average grade was 20 percent.