What happened
On a flight from Salt Lake City Airport, Utah, to Penticton, British Columbia, a Piper Aerostar 602P, registration N88AT, was operating under instrument flight rules. The aircraft was carrying the pilot, three passengers, and two dogs. During the flight, air traffic controllers provided the pilot with a weather update for Penticton indicating heavy snow, low visibility of one mile, and a vertical visibility of only 700 feet.
As the aircraft approached its destination, the pilot requested a localizer distance-measuring equipment B (LOC DME-B) approach for runway 16. To avoid potential conflicts with traffic operating out of Kelowna, the controller instructed the pilot to finish the procedure turn within 13 miles of the airport. At 1203 Pacific standard time, the pilot contacted the Penticton Flight Service Station to report being outbound on the localizer and to receive runway updates. Following this communication, the aircraft stopped responding to all radio transmissions from both the Flight Service Station and Vancouver Centre.
Search and rescue operations were launched after the loss of contact. Two days later, the wreckage was located in a heavily wooded area near the summit of Okanagan Mountain at an altitude of approximately 5,100 feet. The impact resulted in four fatalities and the total destruction of the aircraft, though no post-crash fire occurred.
Findings
At the time of the accident, the aircraft was operating in adverse weather conditions characterized by significant snowfall and obscured skies.