Weather (Other) · NTSB WPR20LA295
Beech 35 — Three Rivers, CA
| Date | September 4, 2020 |
| Location | Three Rivers, CA |
| Aircraft | Beech 35 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Enroute-cruise Other weather encounter |
| Pilot age | 82 |
| Pilot total time | 38,000 hrs · High time |
| Time in type | Unknown |
| Fatalities | 2 |
Probable cause
The pilot’s controlled flight into terrain while operating in conditions of reduced visibility due to smoke.
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Altitude-Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Ceiling/visibility/precip-Haze/smoke-Contributed to outcome
What happened
The pilot and passenger departed on a visual flight rules cross-country flight into an area of reduced visibility due to wildfire smoke. An alert notice was issued when the airplane did not arrive at the destination, and the wreckage was located the following day in mountainous terrain at an elevation about 9,500 ft mean sea level. No anomalies were noted with the airplane during post-accident examination. Impact signatures and wreckage dispersion were consistent with the pilot’s controlled flight into terrain while operating in conditions of reduced visibility due to smoke.