What happened
On the night of August 28, 1986, an aircraft was performing a takeoff when it struck rising terrain. The impact occurred roughly 1.5 miles past the runway end at an elevation of approximately 5,600 feet, which was only slightly higher than the airport's elevation of 5,586 feet. An eyewitness reported observing the aircraft depart the runway but noted that the plane failed to gain altitude following the takeoff. The accident took place in a dark area characterized by a lack of ground lighting.
At the time of the accident, the pilot had been on duty for roughly 14 hours. Records indicated that the pilot's most recent night flight had occurred over a year prior, on March 22, 1985. The incident resulted in seven fatalities with no survivors.
Findings
Post-crash inspections of the aircraft revealed no evidence of mechanical issues, structural failure, or malfunctions related to the engines, propellers, or flight controls. Investigators identified several contributing factors related to the pilot's condition and actions. These included spatial disorientation, physical impairment following a recent ear surgery that affected the balance nerve, and fatigue from an extended period of duty. Additionally, the investigation cited a lack of recent experience with night operations, failure to maintain proper climb rates, and inadequate clearance from terrain during the flight phase.