What happened
A flight departing from Edwards Air Force Base involving a crew of six and two engineers from Ryan Aeronautical ended in a fatal accident. The mission involved a four-and-a-half-hour flight duration dedicated to testing various pieces of equipment. Following the completion of these tests, the aircraft began its return journey to the base.
While the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 4,000 feet through cloud cover, it struck the Shadow Mountains, located approximately 25 miles southeast of Edwards Air Force Base. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the four-engine aircraft. There were no survivors among the eight fatalities on board.
Findings
The accident occurred while the flight was operating in instrument meteorological conditions (clouds) at a relatively low altitude.