Crash of a Cessna 340 near Burbank: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 16, 1982 at 2337 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N98546
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Van Nuys – Las Vegas
MSN:
340-0026
YOM:
1972
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
759
Captain / Total hours on type:
341.00
Aircraft flight hours:
1076
Circumstances:
After takeoff, the pilot was cleared to proceed on an IFR flight plan. After being cleared to 15,000 ft msl, he reported having trouble maintaining his airspeed and subsequently declared an emergency. Shortly after that, radar contact was lost. The aircraft impacted at night near the top of a mountain ridge at about 4,700 ft msl. The wreckage was demolished and scattered over a large area, but there was no evidence of an inflight breakup. Some parts of the wreckage (including the right engine) were not found on the snow covered terrain. The weather forecast called for: thunderstorms in lines, mountains obscured, moderate and occasionally severe turbulence below 20,000 ft, occasional moderate icing in clouds and in precipitation from the freezing level (3,000 ft) to 20,000 ft. The aircraft was not certified for flight in known icing conditions.
Probable cause:
Occurrence #1: in flight encounter with weather
Phase of operation: climb - to cruise
Findings
1. (f) light condition - dark night
2. (f) weather condition - clouds
3. (f) weather condition - rain
4. (f) weather condition - icing conditions
5. (c) operation with known deficiencies in equipment - attempted - pilot in command
6. (c) wing - ice
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Occurrence #2: in flight collision with terrain/water
Phase of operation: descent - emergency
Findings
7. (f) weather condition - low ceiling
8. (f) terrain condition - high terrain
9. (f) terrain condition - mountainous/hilly
Final Report: