Accident Sequence
Witnesses reported hearing the airplane circle twice before it began its approach. A fog bank had recently moved into the area, reducing visibility to approximately one mile, with cloud bases between 200 and 300 feet. The airplane was observed emerging from the fog in a steep left turn, descending rapidly, and positioned right of the runway centerline on a one-mile final. The left bank angle increased to nearly 90 degrees, at which point the nose dropped, and the airplane collided with a parked vehicle located 150 feet to the right of the centerline and 50 feet short of the runway threshold.
The Unicom frequency was not manned at the time, and the ambulance on the ground had no radio. Basic weather data from North Bend, 60 miles to the north, was available. All three pilots on board were killed.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the probable cause to be the pilot's failure to initiate a go-around after emerging from the fog bank on a short final, which resulted in inadequate airspeed and a stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's poor judgment in attempting a VFR approach in IMC conditions.