Incident Overview
While cruising at night in marginal weather conditions characterized by low clouds, an aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Carpinteria. The impact and subsequent post-crash fire destroyed the aircraft. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was killed. The wreckage was located two days after the accident.
Probable Cause and Contributing Factors
According to the official investigation, the probable cause of the accident was controlled flight into terrain following improper in-flight decisions made by the pilot. Contributing factors reported include an electrical failure, low ceiling, high obstructions, ceiling at 3,000 feet, and failure of both generators and batteries in flight.