Accident Details
A commercial pilot was conducting a positioning flight from the departure airport to another airport. The flight took place on a dark night with overcast skies and no discernible horizon. After departure, the pilot climbed to a cruise altitude between 1,200 and 1,400 feet msl. About 4 miles south of the departure airport, the airplane collided with an east-west oriented ridge at 1,200 feet msl. The ridgeline, which is perpendicular to the direct route of flight between the departure and destination airports, rises from west to east and has a summit elevation of 1,714 feet msl.
Background
The departure airport was a newly commissioned airport located 3 miles east-northeast of the old airport. The accident flight was the pilot's second trip to the new airport and his first night departure from either the old or new airport. A direct flight from the new airport to the destination airport requires a higher altitude to clear the ridgeline than does a direct flight from the old airport. A direct flight from the old airport crosses the same ridgeline farther to the west, where the elevation of the ridge is less than 500 feet msl.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the probable cause to be the pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a ridgeline. Factors contributing to the accident were the high terrain, the pilot's inadequate preflight planning, and the dark night light conditions.