Incident Overview
On December 10, 1982, a student pilot departed on a supervised solo cross-country flight from Moundsville, West Virginia, with planned stops at Huntington and White Sulpher Springs before returning to Moundsville. Weather conditions deteriorated during the first two legs of the flight, and the student's flight instructor (CFI) advised him to wait for improvement. The student objected but remained overnight.
Next Day Developments
When the weather had not improved by the following day, the student insisted he could not stay another day. The CFI approved a flight across the next ridge to Lewisburgh, West Virginia, with the instruction not to proceed beyond that point. The CFI stated he would attempt to pick up the student in the afternoon.
Events at Lewisburgh
After the student arrived at Lewisburgh, weather conditions worsened, including icing conditions. The CFI canceled his flight to retrieve the student. The student indicated he would find overnight accommodation and told the CFI he would call within one to two hours.
Search and Discovery
When the CFI did not receive a call from the student, he initiated a ramp check and subsequently a search. The student's airplane was found where it had flown into the side of a mountain at night. Examination revealed no preimpact failure or malfunctions with the airframe or engine.