What happened
During a night approach toward its destination, the aircraft was operating under vectors for a descent through mountainous terrain. During this phase of the flight, the pilot transitioned from IFR to VFR by cancelling the instrument flight plan. Following this change, the aircraft descended into an area that was no longer under radar surveillance.
The aircraft subsequently struck trees in a wooded area at an elevation of approximately 2,700 feet, located northwest of the destination airport. Upon impact, the primary section of the fuselage slid roughly 1,000 feet from the initial point of contact before coming to a stop. The emergency locator transmitter failed to activate following the crash.
Search operations commenced on December 1, 1990, but the wreckage and a surviving passenger remained undiscovered until the following day. The accident resulted in five fatalities, including the pilot, and one survivor.
Findings
Investigations into the wreckage revealed no evidence of mechanical issues or malfunctions prior to the impact. The primary factor in the accident was the descent below radar coverage following the cancellation of the flight plan.