What happened
During a flight conducted under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), the crew encountered deteriorating weather conditions characterized by ground fog and a low cloud ceiling. As visibility became restricted, the aircraft type struck a mountain slope in the vicinity of Sollege, near Solvang. The impact was severe enough to result in the total destruction of the plane. There were no survivors among the seven fatalities recorded in the incident.
Findings
Investigations into the crash identified that the primary factor was controlled flight into terrain. This occurred because the crew proceeded with VFR operations despite the presence of adverse weather. The following environmental conditions contributed to the accident:
- Reduced visibility caused by ground fog
- Low cloud ceiling