What happened
During a visual flight rules (VFR) flight through hilly and mountainous landscape, the pilot of a Cessna 207 encountered heavy falling snow. This weather event significantly degraded visibility, reducing it to roughly one-half mile. Upon realizing the aircraft had become lost due to the conditions, the pilot attempted to perform a turn to reverse the flight path. During this maneuver within the steep canyon, the aircraft struck the terrain.
Findings
- The flight was being conducted under VFR conditions when weather conditions deteriorated.
- All three occupants were killed in the accident.
- The primary factor in the accident was the impact with terrain while attempting to maneuver in a narrow canyon during low-visibility conditions.