What happened
During a flight over mountainous terrain south of Wells, the crew encountered intense turbulence and powerful downdrafts. As a result of these atmospheric conditions, the aircraft lost significant altitude and struck the eastern slope of Mt East Humboldt. The accident occurred approximately 13 miles southwest of Wells. There were six fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft.
Findings
Investigations into the crash determined that the aircraft was operating under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) at the time of the incident. The pilot failed to apply enough drift correction to remain within the designated airway. This lack of course correction, combined with severe downdrafts, led to a descent of roughly 1,300 feet below the altitude assigned by air traffic control, ultimately resulting in the impact with terrain.