Accident
The non-instrument rated pilot was on a flight from Ironton, OH to Daytona Beach, FL, with an en route stop at Columbia, SC. He obtained a weather briefing prior to departing Ironton but did not update it after landing at Columbia. The aircraft crashed on the second leg of the flight in an area where a line of thunderstorms had passed through. Based on the cruise speed of the aircraft and its distance from the departure point, the plane crashed at about the same time the thunderstorms had occurred.
Impact and Damage
Initial impact occurred in a marshy area next to Hermitage Island. Tire prints were visible at low tide in the marshy ground. After the initial impact, the aircraft continued 110 ft and hit a large palm tree on the island, resulting in its destruction. The right fuel tank was ruptured, while the left tank remained intact and contained fuel.
Wreckage Examination
An examination of the wreckage was conducted, but no preimpact malfunction or failures were found.