On final approach to Aspen-Pitkin County-Sardy Field by night and marginal weather conditions, the pilot get troubled by the presence of frost on the windshield and failed to realize his altitude was insufficient. The airplane struck the slope of a mountain located few miles short of runway and was destroyed upon impact. All eight occupants were killed.
Probable cause (official findings): Controlled collision with ground caused by the combination of the following factors: - The pilot-in-command failed to follow the approved procedures and directives, - Failure to provide adequate directives in manual equipment on par of the operational supervisory personnel, - High obstructions, - Accumulation of ice on windshield, - The pilot-in-command failed to use or incorrectly used miscellaneous equipment such as windshield anti-icing and de-icing systems, - Icing conditions including sleet and freezing rain, - The pilot did not follow the company informal go-around procedures, - There were no go-around procedures in the company operations manual, - Mountain obscured by ice on windshield.