What happened
While performing an arrival procedure at Elko Airport, the crew of SkyWest Airlines flight 5855 was cleared for a VOR/DME-B approach. The aircraft was tracked passing the Bullion VOR station during the descent. Shortly after this position report, the aircraft struck the summit of a mountain. The impact occurred roughly 100 feet in advance of the VOR station itself.
Findings
Investigation of the crash site revealed that the impact occurred at an elevation of approximately 6,460 feet. This altitude was significantly lower than the minimum published crossing altitude of 7,000 feet required for the VOR station. The crash site was located near the approach path to the airport, which sits at an elevation of 5,135 feet and is situated 4.1 miles from the Bullion VOR.