What happened
In the early morning hours, an individual acting as the pilot—a mechanic who lacked any formal flight training or pilot certification—operated an aircraft without authorization. The departure was observed by a witness at approximately 02:50 PDT. During the flight, the aircraft crashed in an undeveloped area located roughly 3 miles east-northeast of the airport. While the exact time of impact remains unconfirmed, a clock recovered from the wreckage had ceased functioning at 03:55.
Evidence from the crash site indicated that the aircraft struck the ground in an inverted, nose-down position while traveling on a north-northeast heading. The impact was relatively brief, with the aircraft sliding only 28 feet before coming to a halt. At the time of rest, the landing gear was extended and the flaps were retracted. No mechanical failures were identified as a cause for the accident.
Findings
The investigation revealed that the individual operating the aircraft was severely impaired, with toxicology results showing a blood alcohol concentration of 3.7‰ and a vitreous alcohol level of 3.3‰. Beyond the extreme alcohol impairment, investigators noted that the pilot had been experiencing significant personal stress related to a marital separation. The crash was characterized by an unqualified person attempting to fly at night, leading to an inadvertent stall and loss of control during an uncontrolled descent.