What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On November 21, 2001, at 1126 hours pacific standard time, an aero commander 500S, N900RA, collided with mountainous terrain on eagle peak near Eagleville, California. Commander northwest limited was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The airline transport certificated pilot-in-command, commercial certificated copilot, and three passengers sustained fatal injuries; the airplane was destroyed. The personal cross-country flight departed reno, Nevada, about 1045, en route to wenatchee, Washington. While visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the closest aviation weather reporting station, the weather conditions at the accident site are unknown. An IFR flight plan had been filed. According to preliminary information supplied by oakland air route traffic control center, the pilot requested 12,500 feet MSL as a cruise altitude. The sector controller informed the pilot that he was unable to clear the flight to that altitude because the minimum en route altitude (mea) for the route segment was 14,000 feet. The pilot then cancelled his instrument flight plan and stated that he was VFR on top at 10,500 feet. Shortly after that at 1126, the controller lost radio and radar contact. When no further contact was made with the flight, oakland center issued an alert notice at 1230. The last mode c radar secondary beacon target occurred at 41 degrees 17 minutes 09 seconds north latitude by 120 degrees 11 minutes 41 seconds west longitude. This position was determined to be about 1/2-mile east of eagle peak (elevation 9,920 feet). Search and rescue personnel discovered the wreckage near the crest of eagle peak on November 23. (-23) on November 21, 2001 at 10:45 am, local time thomas r. blaesing departed reno, NV in aero commander N900RA enroute IFR to wenatchee, WA. Preliminary information from oakland ARTCC said the pilot requested 12,500 for a final altitude. The sector controller informed the pilot that the minimum enroute IFR altitude was 14,000 MSL. The pilot then cancelled his IFR flight plan and said he was VFR on top at 10,500 MSL. At 11:26 am local time, oakland ARTCC lost radio and radar contact. The aircraft collided with mountainous terrain on eagle peak near Eagleville, CA. (Eagle peak is 9,920 feet MSL) the pilot and four passengers sustained fatal injuries and the airplane was destroyed.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON NOVEMBER 21, 2001, AT 1126 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, AN AERO COMMANDER 500S, N900RA, COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ON EAGLE PEAK NEAR EAGLEVILLE, CALIFORNIA. COMMANDER NORTHWEST LIMITED WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT CERTIFICATED PILOT-IN-COMMAND, COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED COPILOT, AND THREE PASSENGERS SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES; THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT DEPARTED RENO, NEVADA, ABOUT 1045, EN ROUTE TO WENATCHEE, WASHINGTON. WHILE VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE CLOSEST AVIATION WEATHER REPORTING STATION, THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE ACCIDENT SITE ARE UNKNOWN. AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY OAKLAND AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER, THE PILOT REQUESTED 12,500 FEET MSL AS A CRUISE ALTITUDE. THE SECTOR CONTROLLER INFORMED THE PILOT THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR THE FLIGHT TO THAT ALTITUDE BECAUSE THE MINIMUM EN ROUTE ALTITUDE (MEA) FOR THE ROUTE SEGMENT WAS 14,000 FEET. THE PILOT THEN CANCELLED HIS INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN AND STATED THAT HE WAS VFR ON TOP AT 10,500 FEET. SHORTLY AFTER THAT AT 1126, THE CONTROLLER LOST RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT. WHEN NO FURTHER CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE FLIGHT, OAKLAND CENTER ISSUED AN ALERT NOTICE AT 1230. THE LAST MODE C RADAR SECONDARY BEACON TARGET OCCURRED AT 41 DEGREES 17 MINUTES 09 SECONDS NORTH LATITUDE BY 120 DEGREES 11 MINUTES 41 SECONDS WEST LONGITUDE. THIS POSITION WAS DETERMINED TO BE ABOUT 1/2-MILE EAST OF EAGLE PEAK (ELEVATION 9,920 FEET). SEARCH AND RESCUE PERSONNEL DISCOVERED THE WRECKAGE NEAR THE CREST OF EAGLE PEAK ON NOVEMBER 23. (-23) ON NOVEMBER 21, 2001 AT 10:45 AM, LOCAL TIME THOMAS R. BLAESING DEPARTED RENO, NV IN AERO COMMANDER N900RA ENROUTE IFR TO WENATCHEE, WA. PRELIMINARY INFORMATION FROM OAKLAND ARTCC SAID THE PILOT REQUESTED 12,500 FOR A FINAL ALTITUDE. THE SECTOR CONTROLLER INFORMED THE PILOT THAT THE MINIMUM ENROUTE IFR ALTITUDE WAS 14,000 MSL. THE PILOT THEN CANCELLED HIS IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND SAID HE WAS VFR ON TOP AT 10,500 MSL. AT 11:26 AM LOCAL TIME, OAKLAND ARTCC LOST RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ON EAGLE PEAK NEAR EAGLEVILLE, CA. (EAGLE PEAK IS 9,920 FEET MSL) THE PILOT AND FOUR PASSENGERS SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.