What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The flight departed fresno chandler in VFR day conditions enroute to lancaster, CA, which was also VFR. The mountain range separating the san joaquin valley from the mojave desert was obscured with clouds, and these mountains were between the origin and destination airports. The aircraft struck these mountains in a level cruise configuration at 6800 feet MSL on a dirct course between fresno and lancaster. A GPS receiver had been installed in the aircraft. No VFR aeronautical chart could be found at the accident site. All indications are that the engine was making power and that the aircraft was intact at the time it struck the terrain.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FRESNO CHANDLER IN VFR DAY CONDITIONS ENROUTE TO LANCASTER, CA, WHICH WAS ALSO VFR. THE MOUNTAIN RANGE SEPARATING THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY FROM THE MOJAVE DESERT WAS OBSCURED WITH CLOUDS, AND THESE MOUNTAINS WERE BETWEEN THE ORIGIN AND DESTINATION AIRPORTS. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THESE MOUNTAINS IN A LEVEL CRUISE CONFIGURATION AT 6800 FEET MSL ON A DIRCT COURSE BETWEEN FRESNO AND LANCASTER. A GPS RECEIVER HAD BEEN INSTALLED IN THE AIRCRAFT. NO VFR AERONAUTICAL CHART COULD BE FOUND AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE ENGINE WAS MAKING POWER AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS INTACT AT THE TIME IT STRUCK THE TERRAIN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.