What happened
While traveling through clear skies toward an airport, an aircraft was flying without an active flight plan. The flight was intended to transport a passenger to meet his spouse. After passing over a lake near the destination, the aircraft moved over rising terrain and along a saddleback ridge, eventually colliding with a group of old-growth trees. Radar data from the final 48 seconds of tracking showed the aircraft climbing 600 feet while maintaining a steady course without any significant deviations. The destination airport was located approximately 5 nautical miles to the right of the aircraft's flight path at the time of impact.
There were two fatalities in the accident, involving both the pilot and the passenger. Post-accident inspections of the aircraft revealed no mechanical issues or anomalies prior to the collision.
Findings
Investigations into the incident examined several factors, including the pilot's medical history and the relationship between the occupants. The pilot, who possessed 32,000 hours of flight experience, had a medical history involving premature ventricular complexes noted in 2002 and 2004. An autopsy revealed severe coronary artery disease, specifically significant narrowing in both the left anterior descending and right coronary arteries.
While a magazine for a .380 caliber pistol was recovered at the crash site with two rounds of ammunition missing, no firearm was found, and no connection to the occupants was established. The autopsy could not determine if the occupants were alive or deceased at the moment of impact. The official cause of death for both individuals was listed as undetermined.