The aircraft was operating under title 14 CFR 135 and crashed 23 nautical miles southwest of Montrose, Colorado. The purpose of the flight was to transport 8 Bureau of Reclamation employees and cargo to Page, Arizona.
Witnesses indicate the plateau at the accident site was obscured with low clouds.
Consistent with the time of departure of the accident airplane, an FAA radar NTAP database target was on a track from the Montrose area to the accident site. The recorded radar information indicated that the target climbed to a peak altitude of 15,400 msl and then disappeared. The airplane was reported overdue and a ground search party located the airplane wreckage about 48 hours later in the vicinity of the last recorded radar position. The wreckage was situated among 70-feet high pine trees with evidence of a steep flight path angle, a rather flat pitch attitude, and little indication of forward speed. There was a fuel spill in the surrounding area but no fire.