Incident Overview
While descending to San Bernardino Airport from Torrance, the pilot of a twin-engine airplane encountered poor weather conditions. The aircraft subsequently struck a large boulder on a mountain ridge located in Fontana, approximately 9 miles southwest of San Bernardino Airport. The impact destroyed the aircraft, and the pilot, who was the sole occupant, was killed.
Weather Conditions
The accident occurred during initial approach in conditions described as poor weather. Contributing environmental factors included low ceiling, fog, ground fog, and high obstructions in the area.
Investigation Findings
According to the official probable cause, the accident was a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) during initial approach due to improper IFR operation. The following contributing factors were identified: low ceiling, fog, high obstructions, ground fog, and the aircraft descending below the published minimum descent altitude (MDA).