What happened
During an approach to San Bernardino Airport from Torrance, a twin engine airplane struck a massive boulder on a mountain ridge. The impact occurred in the vicinity of Fontana, situated approximately 9 miles southwest of the destination airport. At the time of the accident, the pilot was the only person on board the aircraft. The collision resulted in the total destruction of the plane and the death of the pilot.
Findings
The investigation determined that the crash was a result of controlled flight into terrain during the initial approach phase. Several environmental and operational factors contributed to the accident, including:
- Presence of ground fog and low cloud ceilings
- Reduced visibility due to fog
- High obstacles in the flight path
- The aircraft descending below the published Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA)
- Improper execution of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) procedures