4. For reasons undetermined the flight was approximately seven miles east of the proper course and two miles off the airway at the time of the crash.
5. In the latter pert of the flight the pilot encountered intermittent instrument weather conditions and failed thereupon to climb promptly, in accordance with established Company and government procedure, to an instrument altitude which would provide a margin of safety over the adjacent terrain.
6. While being thus flown in instrument weather at an altitude below the authorized safe minimum altitude for instrument flight, the airplane crashed into the nest slope of Cheat-Mountain;
VI. Probable Cause;
On the basis of the foregoing the Board determines that the probable cause of this accident has the action of the pilot in continuing over mountainous terrain under instrument conditions at an altitude below the minimum authorized instrument altitude.
BY THE CIVIL AERONAUTICS BOARD:
/s/ OSWALD RYAN
/s/ HARLEE BRANCH
/s/ JOSH LEE
Pogue, Chairman, and Young, Member, did not take part in the decision.
- 10 -
