What happened
During a night flight toward Santa Barbara Airport, the crew began their descent under marginal weather conditions and low visibility. While flying near the Refugio Pass, the aircraft struck the side of Mt Santa Ynez at an altitude of approximately 2,740 feet. The force of the collision caused the plane to break apart upon impact. There were no survivors among the 22 fatalities recorded in the accident.
Findings
Investigations into the crash revealed that the flight was operating under instrument weather conditions despite a flight plan intended for VFR operations. The investigation concluded that the primary factor was the failure to maintain the required minimum en route night altitude of 4,000 feet for the specific route being flown. While the planned course was 123 degrees at 4,000 feet, the aircraft was traveling on a heading of approximately 117 degrees at the time of the impact.