Pilot Reported To The Controller That He Was Turning Due To Clouds On December 23, 2025, about 0841 Pacific standard time, a Beech K35, N9540R, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Summer Lake, Oregon. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to preliminary ADS-B flight track data, the airplane departed Susanville Municipal Airport (SVE), Susanville, California about 0730 and flew northwest. About 0752, the pilot requested visual flight rules (VFR) flight following to McNary Field (SLE), Salem, Oregon, with Seattle Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). About 0759, the airplane was at an altitude of about 10,600 mean sea level (msl) and turned toward the west-northwest, and the pilot reported to the controller that he was turning due to clouds.
