Accident Sequence
The pilot, employed as a flight instructor, had flown two instructional flights the day prior. After the last flight around 1511, he went home to nap, having had only four hours of sleep the previous night. Later that afternoon, he and a passenger flew to a nearby city for dinner with the pilot's uncle. They left around 2130 for other social plans. At 0231 to 0234 the following morning, they were recorded on video entering the airport security gate on their way to the airplane. Radar data showed they departed at 0313 and flew north, leveling off at 8,500 feet. At 0330, radar contact was lost.
Environmental Conditions
Cloud cover in the accident area had tops approximately 10,000 to 11,000 feet and bottoms around 5,500 feet mean sea level. There was no moon, and the area near the accident site was sparsely populated with few ground lights.
Witness Account
A witness observed a flashing red light emerge from the bottom of the clouds. She reported seeing the airplane drop twice, and each time she saw something resembling car headlights. The airplane then went behind a mesa, and a flash of light was visible.
Wreckage and Examination
Search and rescue teams located the airplane the following day. Examination of the accident site indicated the airplane impacted the terrain in an estimated 110-degree left bank with its nose level. Postaccident examination of the wreckage found no evidence of preimpact mechanical or airframe discrepancies that would have prevented normal operation.
Toxicology
Toxicology tests of the pilot and passenger were positive for volatiles (alcohol). However, due to a two-day delay in recovering the bodies, it could not be determined whether the alcohol was ingested prior to the accident or resulted from postmortem decomposition.