19970402010139A

(.19) On April 2, 1997, at 2016 hours mountain standard time, a Cessna T210N, N6172C, collided with snow covered mountainous terrain in a wilderness area on the north rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. The airplane was destroyed and the certificated private pilot/owner and his passenger received fatal injuries. The airplane was being operated by the pilot/owner as a personal flight under 14 CFR part 91 when the accident occurred. The flight originated in las vegas, new Mexico, and was en route to north las vegas, Nevada, at the time of the accident. Night instrument meteorological conditions were reported by the pilot at cruise altitude and an IFR flight plan was filed. At 1956, the pilot reported to the los angeles air route traffic control center (ARTCC) controller that he lost his alternator (malfunction) and that he was switching to his standby generator. At 1958, the pilot called requesting a lower altitude and stated that he was in the clouds without any (cockpit) lighting. He was cleared from flight level (FL) 190 down to 15,000 feet mean sea level (MSL). He was advised that the Grand Canyon airport was open and would remain open beyond its scheduled closing time if h e chose to land there. He was told that Grand Canyon was reporting 6,000 feet overcast; however, the controller did not know if there is a clear layer between FL 190 and 6,000 feet. The pilot replied that he was "looking for it" (a clear layer). There was no discussion about the possibility of a climb to an "on top" FL.