It appears (to me: the casual / trainee pilot) that the aircraft suffered an uncommanded yaw to the right which resulted in the spiral dive into the trees. Touchy subject, this one…. RIP
Just found this after 10 seconds of googling:
The docket is stored on NTSB microfiche number 25894.
Accident occurred Friday, August 10, 1984 in TABERNASH, CO
Probable Cause Approval Date: 12/14/1992
Aircraft: CESSNA L-19E, registration: N4584A
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED GRANDBY 8/10/84 AND FAILED TO ARRIVE AT ITS DESTINATION. ON 8/23/87, IT WAS FOUND ON THE SLOPE OF A HIGH TREE-COVERED RIDGE. VIDEO TAPE RECOVERED FROM THE WRECKAGE PROVIDED A VISUAL AND AUDIO RECORD OF THE FLIGHT FROM TAKEOFF TO IMPACT. COMPARING THE RECORDING TO A TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP, THE FLIGHT WAS CLIMBING AND ITS ALTITUDE ABOVE THE GROUND WAS DECREASING WHEN IT CRASHED AT THE 10,200-FT LEVEL. DURING THE LAST FEW SECONDS OF THE TAPE, THE TERRAIN DOMINATED THE VIEW THROUGH THE COCKPIT WINDOW. THE PILOT MADE A 60-DEG BANK, AND THE STALL WARNING HORN COULD BE HEARD 3 TIMES DURING APRX 180 DEG OF TURN. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY STALLED, FLIPPED OVER, AND ENTERED THE TREES. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 13,000 FT.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION..IMPROPER..PILOT IN COMMAND
AIRSPEED..NOT MAINTAINED..PILOT IN COMMAND
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