What happened
Twenty-four minutes after departing from Hollywood-Burbank Airport, the crew of a twin-engine aircraft encountered fog while flying northeast of Santa Clarita. At an altitude of approximately 3,300 feet, the plane struck the slope of Stroh Peak in Mint Canyon. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the airframe and the deaths of all 9 occupants. Rescue teams did not reach the scene until thirty-six hours after the accident.
The aircraft was brand new and had been en route to Las Vegas for a presentation to company leadership. All individuals on board were employees of either Northwest Airlines or Lockheed Company. The flight crew consisted of a Lockheed test pilot serving as captain and a Northwest Airlines vice-president acting as co-pilot. The passenger manifest included various corporate officials, their family members, and administrative staff from both organizations.
Findings
The official investigation determined that the accident occurred because the crew failed to adhere to published procedures for navigating mountainous terrain. Specifically, they were flying at an unsafe altitude to overfly the area. At the moment of impact, the aircraft was traveling at a speed of 200 mph.