What happened
During a flight at a low altitude, a twin engine airplane collided with a hillside located in the vicinity of Oakland. The accident occurred while the aircraft was navigating through challenging meteorological conditions. Upon impact, the airframe was completely destroyed. There were three serious injuries reported among the occupants of the aircraft.
Findings
Official investigations determined that the primary reason for the accident was that the crew proceeded with a visual flight rules (VFR) flight despite encountering adverse weather. Several environmental factors contributed to the crash, including:
- Presence of high obstructions
- Low cloud ceiling
- Precipitation in the form of rain
- Atmospheric turbulence linked to thunderstorms and clouds
- Reduced visibility due to fog