I think there was a previous thread on this but here is the latest on the Fall 2010 crash of the Mooney with the family from Minn.
I predict all hell will break out among lawyers on both sides.

http://www.ntsb.gov/Recs/Letters/2011/A-11-032-034.pdf

Good find Ben. Hope this doesnt make a pack of lawyers wealthy(er). Im not ready to blame the controllers here having read the initial reports. Sad case though.

I doubt that the pilot had a portable Garmin with terrain avoidance information. That + XM radar downloads should help prevent many accidents for such little expense, relatively speaking.

Very sad, very avoidable.

As always, deepest condolences to the family of those who died.

Boy, this is a tough one. On one hand the controllers and clearance had him commited to 16,000, then he asked for 14,000 and got it. Next he is directed to 16,000 and can't make it. Then he is asked if he can maintain terrain separation, he says yes. Obviously that didn't work out. Maybe you could say mistakes on both sides but the pilot and passengers paid a bigger price. But then again, he was ultimately responsible for his actions. Very sad and high terrain can be a real challenge for virtually all GA planes. I, too, hope the lawyers and jurors (the ones that aren't smart enough to get off jury duty) don't blame Mooney for building a normally aspirated plane that can't climb like a F-18.

I remember that day, the wind was howling and it was snowing too. A little plane had no business hauling kids that day and even if someone had a gun to his head, a glance at a chart would have convinced him to opt for the Geyser 4 route or thread his way through Dubois via VFR and pick up IFR at Riverton. ATC didn't do him any favors but they didn't send him up on a day he should have prolonged his vacation in J-Hole.