At 0628 Mountain time, the airplane collided with terrain after takeoff. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured; two passengers sustained serious injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage during the accident sequence, and was partially consumed by post-impact fire. Night instrument conditions prevailed; no flight plan had been filed.
A witness in her automobile observed an airplane to her right, which appeared to be descending steeply at high speed. The airplane passed out of her view behind the elevated runway and she assumed it had landed. A few seconds later, she observed an explosion beyond the runway. She did not see any smoke, fire or vapors trailing from the airplane at any time. Seven minutes after the accident, the area became enveloped with fog, such that she could no longer see the fire.
At 0635, an automated weather observation included visibility of eight miles with a 200-foot overcast ceiling.
