What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The area forecast was for VFR to MVFR conditions with occasional visibility reducing to 3 to 5 miles in mist. The 700 mb (10,000 feet MSL) constant pressure chart depicted flagstaff as having northwesterly winds of approximately 25 knots. After checking the weather several times, the pilot departed Sedona (elevation 4,827 feet). No flight plan had been filed for the 21 mile northbound flight to flagstaff. Dark night conditions existed at the time of the accident and there were no ground lights in the direction of flight. After takeoff, the northbound aircraft struck the leeward side of a 6,100-foot ridge, about the 5,952-foot level, and at a point located along a direct route to flagstaff. The crash site was located bearing 019 degrees and 4.3 miles from the Sedona airport. Given the wind and mountainous terrain in the area of the accident, the influence of such winds would result in downslope wind conditions over the accident site. (-23) no narrative
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE AREA FORECAST WAS FOR VFR TO MVFR CONDITIONS WITH OCCASIONAL VISIBILITY REDUCING TO 3 TO 5 MILES IN MIST. THE 700 MB (10,000 FEET MSL) CONSTANT PRESSURE CHART DEPICTED FLAGSTAFF AS HAVING NORTHWESTERLY WINDS OF APPROXIMATELY 25 KNOTS. AFTER CHECKING THE WEATHER SEVERAL TIMES, THE PILOT DEPARTED SEDONA (ELEVATION 4,827 FEET). NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE 21 MILE NORTHBOUND FLIGHT TO FLAGSTAFF. DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND THERE WERE NO GROUND LIGHTS IN THE DIRECTION OF FLIGHT. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE NORTHBOUND AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE LEEWARD SIDE OF A 6,100-FOOT RIDGE, ABOUT THE 5,952-FOOT LEVEL, AND AT A POINT LOCATED ALONG A DIRECT ROUTE TO FLAGSTAFF. THE CRASH SITE WAS LOCATED BEARING 019 DEGREES AND 4.3 MILES FROM THE SEDONA AIRPORT. GIVEN THE WIND AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT, THE INFLUENCE OF SUCH WINDS WOULD RESULT IN DOWNSLOPE WIND CONDITIONS OVER THE ACCIDENT SITE. (-23) NO NARRATIVE
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.