LEBEC, CA, USA
N880LS
CESSNA 172M
IN A PRELIMINARY ORAL STATEMENT, THE PLT SAID THAT THEY ENCOUNTERED AN UNFORCASTED OVERCAST & RISING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. LATER, SHE STATED THEY WERE TRYING TO MAINTAIN VFR FLT IN MOUNTAINS WITH SCATTERED CLOUDS IN THE AREA; THEN WHEN THEY WERE INITIATING A CLIMB TO CLEAR A RIDGE, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT SETTLED INTO TREES ON A STEEP RISING SLOPE & CRASHED. BOTH PLTS ESTIMATED THE VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 1.5 MI. OTHER PARTICIPANTS OBSERVED CLOUDS OBSCURING THE RIDGE CREST & DEVIATED ABOUT 5 MI SOUTH TO LOWER TERRAIN. THE ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS APRX 5000 FT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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