What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) A Beech baron, N8771R, was receiving VFR flight following from salt lake center when radar and radio contact with slc center was lost in the vicinity of Elko, NV. Alnot report was issued at 1555 PDT. Aircraft wreckage was located at approximately 1900 PDT, 200-300 ft. below the peak of a 10922 ft. MSL mountain. Coordinates of the accident site are 40 33.75N/115 23.73W (BQU111/20DME). Aircraft departed truckee airport (trk). Eight miles northeast of trk at 1303 PDT aircraft contacted reno approach control requesting VFR flight following to its destination, salt lake city no. 2 (U42). Aircraft was observed on reno approach radar to be level at 9500 MSL. Salt lake center radar plot indicated aircraft remained at approximately 9500 MSL until approximately 18NM west of the crash site, at which time it had begun a slow climb. Last radar observation, which occurred approximately 1/2 mile from the crash site at 1416 PDT, indicated an altitude of 10,300 ft MSL. Aircraft was in radio contact with salt lake center and did not indicate any problems prior to the accident. A pilot report shortly after the accident indicated the cloud base in the vicinity of the accident site was broken to overcast at 8500-9000 MSL, with mountaintops obscured.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) A BEECH BARON, N8771R, WAS RECEIVING VFR FLIGHT FOLLOWING FROM SALT LAKE CENTER WHEN RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT WITH SLC CENTER WAS LOST IN THE VICINITY OF ELKO, NV. ALNOT REPORT WAS ISSUED AT 1555 PDT. AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 1900 PDT, 200-300 FT. BELOW THE PEAK OF A 10922 FT. MSL MOUNTAIN. COORDINATES OF THE ACCIDENT SITE ARE 40 33.75N/115 23.73W (BQU111/20DME). AIRCRAFT DEPARTED TRUCKEE AIRPORT (TRK). EIGHT MILES NORTHEAST OF TRK AT 1303 PDT AIRCRAFT CONTACTED RENO APPROACH CONTROL REQUESTING VFR FLIGHT FOLLOWING TO ITS DESTINATION, SALT LAKE CITY NO. 2 (U42). AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED ON RENO APPROACH RADAR TO BE LEVEL AT 9500 MSL. SALT LAKE CENTER RADAR PLOT INDICATED AIRCRAFT REMAINED AT APPROXIMATELY 9500 MSL UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 18NM WEST OF THE CRASH SITE, AT WHICH TIME IT HAD BEGUN A SLOW CLIMB. LAST RADAR OBSERVATION, WHICH OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE FROM THE CRASH SITE AT 1416 PDT, INDICATED AN ALTITUDE OF 10,300 FT MSL. AIRCRAFT WAS IN RADIO CONTACT WITH SALT LAKE CENTER AND DID NOT INDICATE ANY PROBLEMS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. A PILOT REPORT SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT INDICATED THE CLOUD BASE IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS BROKEN TO OVERCAST AT 8500-9000 MSL, WITH MOUNTAINTOPS OBSCURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.