Incident Overview
On May 29, 2006, an airplane collided with a mountain while in cruise flight. The accident occurred after Oakland Center (ZOA) lost radar and radio contact with the aircraft at 1308. The pilot had canceled the IFR portion of the flight at 1239 south of Red Bluff, California, and requested VFR flight following for the remainder of the journey. No distress call was received.
Search and Location
A California Highway Patrol (CHP) air unit located the accident site on May 29, 2006, at 0936. The wreckage was situated at the 8,229-foot mean sea level (msl) elevation of an 8,500-foot mountain. The airplane came to rest on a 45-degree slope atop 6 feet of ice and snow pack, with some wreckage suspended in nearby trees.
Weather Conditions
The sheriff's department reported that at the time of the accident, it was snowing and cloudy on the mountain. A GEOS Weather Satellite image for the area showed cloud coverage over the accident site during the event.
Flight Data
Recorded radar data indicated the flight was at 10,000 feet msl for most of the early portion in southern California, then climbed to 12,000 feet for a short time. At the moment the pilot canceled his IFR clearance, radar showed the flight descending normally to approximately 8,500 feet and on a straight track to the accident site just before the collision.
Wreckage Examination
Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airframe or engine.