What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) The single engine airplane collided into rugged mountainous terrain while on a VFR cross country flight. According to all available information, the airplane was en route at an altitude between 13,000 and 9,000 feet MSL. Mountain peaks along the route of flight were in the 9,000 to 13,000 foot range. Area light airplane pireps (16) and weather observations confirmed that the airplane was flying headwind into about 50-55 knots upper level winds, and was in moderate to severe turbulence along the route of flight. One PIREP indicated that `up' and `down' drafts exeeded 1,000 feet per minute. Another PIREP indicated that `stacked lenticular clouds were observed at a magnitude that he had not seen before.' The meteorology factual report's findings support that the airplane was in severe to extreme turbulent air, and that mountain wave conditions may have been present at the time of the accident. The 8,200 hour pilot was familiar with the route of flight, and no condition of incapacitation was found during the autopsy. Examination of the airframe, engine, and propeller did not reveal evidence of pre-impact failure(s). (-23) on 12/21/96 at approximately 1:00 pm MST during a cross-country flight from raton, NM to glendale, AZ the aircraft impacted mountains at 9500 feet. The pilot and five passengers received fatal injuries. The aircraft was demolished by fire.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) THE SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE COLLIDED INTO RUGGED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHILE ON A VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO ALL AVAILABLE INFORMATION, THE AIRPLANE WAS EN ROUTE AT AN ALTITUDE BETWEEN 13,000 AND 9,000 FEET MSL. MOUNTAIN PEAKS ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT WERE IN THE 9,000 TO 13,000 FOOT RANGE. AREA LIGHT AIRPLANE PIREPS (16) AND WEATHER OBSERVATIONS CONFIRMED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING HEADWIND INTO ABOUT 50-55 KNOTS UPPER LEVEL WINDS, AND WAS IN MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT. ONE PIREP INDICATED THAT `UP' AND `DOWN' DRAFTS EXEEDED 1,000 FEET PER MINUTE. ANOTHER PIREP INDICATED THAT `STACKED LENTICULAR CLOUDS WERE OBSERVED AT A MAGNITUDE THAT HE HAD NOT SEEN BEFORE.' THE METEOROLOGY FACTUAL REPORT'S FINDINGS SUPPORT THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS IN SEVERE TO EXTREME TURBULENT AIR, AND THAT MOUNTAIN WAVE CONDITIONS MAY HAVE BEEN PRESENT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE 8,200 HOUR PILOT WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT, AND NO CONDITION OF INCAPACITATION WAS FOUND DURING THE AUTOPSY. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME, ENGINE, AND PROPELLER DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE(S). (-23) ON 12/21/96 AT APPROXIMATELY 1:00 PM MST DURING A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM RATON, NM TO GLENDALE, AZ THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED MOUNTAINS AT 9500 FEET. THE PILOT AND FIVE PASSENGERS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DEMOLISHED BY FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.