At 1018 Pacific time, the airplane collided with terrain and was substantially damaged. The private pilot in the right seat, the private pilot/owner in the left seat and the passenger were killed. A witness about two miles west of the accident site heard an engine revving up and down repeatedly. He saw the airplane come out of a cloud layer about 2000 feet agl. The right wing pitched down; the airplane was in a corkscrew pattern clockwise, at a descent angle of approximately 45 degrees, with its engine running. The witness then heard the airplane impact the ground. Earlier, the flight had been cleared to climb to 13,000 feet msl. At 1017, radar data recorded the airplane at 10,400 feet msl, and the pilot reported an emergency. Radar contact and communication were lost with the airplane at 1018. Weather observed about 15 miles north of the accident site at 1003 included wind from 180 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 19 knots, 10 miles visibility and light rain. Cloud layers were scattered at 2900 feet msl, broken at 3500 feet msl, and overcast at 6000 feet msl. The temperature was six degrees Celsius.
