What happened
Following a scheduled refueling stop, an aircraft departed from the Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport. Before the takeoff, the pilot notified air traffic control that they were not familiar with the local geography. At approximately 23:21, the pilot was notified that the departure radar service was temporarily unavailable. The flight proceeded with a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) departure.
By 23:24, the pilot was informed that radar services had been restored. At this time, the pilot reported that the aircraft type was climbing through 5,300 feet. During subsequent communications with the controller, the pilot expressed concerns regarding terrain clearance and indicated a left-hand turn to avoid a potential obstacle. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft struck a mountain at an elevation of 6,100 feet MSL, which was 1,500 feet below the peak. The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate, and there were six fatalities.
Findings
Investigation details indicate that the minimum vectoring altitude for the area was 11,000 feet, significantly higher than the altitude at which the impact occurred. The pilot's lack of familiarity with the local terrain and uncertainty regarding nearby hills contributed to the flight path leading into the mountain.