THE ACFT CRASHED INTO A MOUNTAIN SIDE AT SOME TIME PRIOR TO 0900 ON 11/12/83 WHEN THE ELT SIGNAL WAS 1ST REPORTED, VIA SATELLITE. BEFORE THE FLT, THE STUDENT PLT WAS LAST SEEN IN BAKERSFIELD, CA AT ABOUT 0100 THAT MORNING. A RESCUE MISSION WAS DELAYED DUE TO PROHIBITIVE WX CONDITIONS WHICH INCLUDED HIGH WINDS & BLOWING SNOW. INITIAL IMPACT OCCURRED WITH A ROCK RIDGE AT AN ELEVATION OF 10,400 FT MSL. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE ACFT IMPACTED WHILE IN AN UPRIGHT, WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE & DESCENDING AT AN ANGLE OF ABOUT 5 DEG. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF A PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE ACFT OR ENG. A TOXICOLOGICAL CHECK OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED AMPHETAMINE AT 0.6 MG/L & METHAMPHETAMINE AT 1.2 MG/L. BETWEEN 0100 & 0900 PST, THE CLOUD BASES WERE ABOVE 4000 FT, CLOUD TOPS ABOVE 10,000 FT, MODERATE TURBULENCE POSSIBLE BELOW 12,000 FT, FREEZING LEVEL NEAR 8000 FT & LIGHT TO MODERATE ICING IN CLOUDS ABOVE THE FREEZING LEVEL.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

Contributing Factors

IMPAIRMENT(DRUGS)..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

OVERCONFIDENCE IN PERSONAL ABILITY..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

TERRAIN CONDITION..HIGH TERRAIN

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..CLOUDS

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..ICING CONDITIONS

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..TURBULENCE

Contributing Factors

TERRAIN CONDITION..MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY

Contributing Factors

TERRAIN CONDITION..RISING

Index for Nov1983 | Index of months