What happened
While operating an IFR flight toward Taos, New Mexico, the pilot received a weather briefing that warned of moderate turbulence and light to moderate rime icing at the destination. During the descent, approximately 30 nautical miles east of the Taos VOR, the aircraft was at an altitude of 15,200 feet when the pilot reported encountering light rime icing. Shortly after, the pilot reported the presence of freezing rain.
The aircraft was cleared for the VOR DME-B approach to Taos Airport, at which point radar services were ended. As the flight progressed, the aircraft entered clouds approximately 6 nautical miles east of the initial icing report and stayed within cloud cover until descending below 10,000 feet. Radar tracking showed significant fluctuations in ground speed, ranging between 120 and 190 knots, as the plane traversed the high mountain range located east of Taos.
The aircraft eventually struck the ground in a steep, nose-down orientation. The impact site was located 7 nautical miles southeast of the VOR and 1 nautical mile to the right of the inbound approach course. The accident resulted in four fatalities.
Findings
Investigation into the meteorological conditions revealed that the freezing level was situated at approximately 10,700 feet. Additionally, a pilot report from the area indicated the presence of severe turbulence on the eastern side of the mountain range. The encounter with freezing rain and significant speed variations during the mountain crossing were key elements of the flight's final moments.