What happened
During a flight intended to transport five passengers to a mountain ski resort, an unauthorized flight occurred involving an aircraft operated without the owner's knowledge or permission. The pilot, who was an employee of the company, proceeded with the flight despite lacking authorization to use the aircraft and without the owner's awareness of the passengers on board.
The aircraft was operating in a region characterized by high-altitude mountainous terrain, with the destination airport situated at 6,750 feet MSL and lacking an instrument approach procedure. At the time of the accident, local weather conditions included mountains obscured by clouds between 3,000 and 5,000 feet, with cloud tops reaching 9,000 feet. Visibility was reduced to below 3 miles in areas of widely scattered snow and rain showers. There was no documented evidence that any weather briefings had been conducted prior to the flight.
Approximately 7.5 miles southwest of the intended destination, the aircraft struck the terrain at Mount Clark at an elevation of roughly 6,580 feet MSL. Investigation of the wreckage and the impact site indicated that the aircraft was performing a level left turn when it collided with a snow-covered, 45-degree slope covered in brush. The accident resulted in seven fatalities.
Findings
- The pilot operated the aircraft without the permission of the owner.
- The flight was conducted without any recorded weather briefings.
- The aircraft struck terrain while maneuvering in low-visibility conditions and obscured mountainous terrain.