What happened
Radar tracking indicated that the aircraft was navigating through a region characterized by mountainous terrain. During its flight path, the aircraft was observed descending into a valley at a low altitude before initiating a climb. This ascent continued until the aircraft struck rising terrain at an elevation of roughly 7,200 feet MSL. The resulting debris field was distributed across a slope of more than 300 feet.
At the time of the incident, meteorological conditions near Bakersfield, located approximately 32 miles to the southwest, included scattered clouds at 4,500 feet and an overcast layer at 6,000 feet. Local residents noted that the mountain peaks were hidden by clouds during the accident.
Findings
Investigation of the wreckage and environmental conditions revealed that the mountain tops in the vicinity were obscured by cloud cover. Post-accident toxicological analysis of muscle fluid specimens showed a low ethanol concentration of 23 mg/dl; however, this was likely a result of post-mortem production, as no ethanol was identified in the brain fluid.