DEN85FA120

The plt was a business man, involved in building/construction work. On the morning of the acdnt, he had breakfast with friends who said he was in good spirits & was going to fly before going to work. Witnesses near the acdnt site saw the acft flying in the area. They thought the plt may have been looking for a rock quarry they had for for sale or was interested in a nearby site for a recently proposed reservoir. A UNICOM operator received a distress call from the plt stating he had a 'stuck elevator' & was going to make an emerg lndg. Shortly thereafter, the acft collided with a rock wall, aprx 100' below a ridge line & 800' above a nearby valley floor. There was evidence the acft had impacted in a nose-level, slightly r wing low attitude while at hi speed. No preimpact part failure or malfunction was fnd; however, the acft was completely destoyed by impact. A subsequent coroner's investigation revealed the plt had financial problems& listed his death as suicide; however, the plt had made no known declaration of intent to perform such an act.