What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On April 26, 1998, a Cessna 310R, N467DL, disappeared while en route to las cruces, new Mexico. A review of albuquerque center radar indicated that radar contact was lost about 13 miles west of springerville, Arizona. The pilot, the sole occupant, is presumed to be fatally injured. The aircraft was being operated as a personal flight by the pilot/owner when the aircraft was reported missing. The flight originated in carson city, Nevada, at 1105 pacific standard time. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed along the route of flight and no flight plan was filed. An unconfirmed altitude readout indicated the aircraft was descending through about 10,500 feet at the time radar contact was lost. (From .4) the airplane departed carson city, Nevada, on April 26, 1998, and was en route to las cruces, new Mexico. Radar data indicates it flew at 13,500 feet MSL at an average ground speed of 185 knots throughout most of the flight. As the airplane approached the arizona-new Mexico border, it descended at an average rate of 669 feet per minute and 209 knots ground speed. The last radar contact was at a point 13 west of springerville, Arizona, when the airplane was at 10,500 feet MSL. On September 13, 1998, the wreckage was located in the sawtooth mountains, about 2.5 miles east of Pie Town, new Mexico, and 75 miles east of the last point of radar contact. Witness marks provided evidence that the aircraft collided with vertical terrain in a wings level attitude. On the day of the accident, convective activity was forcast, and satellite photos showed extensive cloud cover in the area. (-23) on April 26, 1998, approximately 1600 mountain standard time, a Cessna T310R, N467DL, registered to and operated by the pilot, was destroyed when it collided with terrain while descending 2.5 miles east of Pie Town, new Mexico. The instrument rated commercial pilot was fatally injured. Although visual meteorological conditions were reported along the route of flight, instrument meteorological conditions were said to prevail in the accident area. No flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under title 14 CFR part 91. The flight originated at carson city, Nevada, at 1105 pacific standard time.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON APRIL 26, 1998, A CESSNA 310R, N467DL, DISAPPEARED WHILE EN ROUTE TO LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO. A REVIEW OF ALBUQUERQUE CENTER RADAR INDICATED THAT RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST ABOUT 13 MILES WEST OF SPRINGERVILLE, ARIZONA. THE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, IS PRESUMED TO BE FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT BY THE PILOT/OWNER WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED MISSING. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN CARSON CITY, NEVADA, AT 1105 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. AN UNCONFIRMED ALTITUDE READOUT INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESCENDING THROUGH ABOUT 10,500 FEET AT THE TIME RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. (FROM .4) THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED CARSON CITY, NEVADA, ON APRIL 26, 1998, AND WAS EN ROUTE TO LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO. RADAR DATA INDICATES IT FLEW AT 13,500 FEET MSL AT AN AVERAGE GROUND SPEED OF 185 KNOTS THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE FLIGHT. AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED THE ARIZONA-NEW MEXICO BORDER, IT DESCENDED AT AN AVERAGE RATE OF 669 FEET PER MINUTE AND 209 KNOTS GROUND SPEED. THE LAST RADAR CONTACT WAS AT A POINT 13 WEST OF SPRINGERVILLE, ARIZONA, WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS AT 10,500 FEET MSL. ON SEPTEMBER 13, 1998, THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED IN THE SAWTOOTH MOUNTAINS, ABOUT 2.5 MILES EAST OF PIE TOWN, NEW MEXICO, AND 75 MILES EAST OF THE LAST POINT OF RADAR CONTACT. WITNESS MARKS PROVIDED EVIDENCE THAT THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH VERTICAL TERRAIN IN A WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WAS FORCAST, AND SATELLITE PHOTOS SHOWED EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER IN THE AREA. (-23) ON APRIL 26, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 1600 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA T310R, N467DL, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE DESCENDING 2.5 MILES EAST OF PIE TOWN, NEW MEXICO. THE INSTRUMENT RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. ALTHOUGH VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE REPORTED ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT, INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE SAID TO PREVAIL IN THE ACCIDENT AREA. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT CARSON CITY, NEVADA, AT 1105 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.