Accident Details
During a night arrival, the pilot was cleared for a VOR-B approach to Morey Airport, an uncontrolled facility at an elevation of 928 feet mean sea level (MSL). The airport's Runway 13/31 was equipped with low-intensity runway lights that could be activated by keying the radio on 123.5 MHz. The circling minimums for the approach were a 700-foot ceiling and 1 mile visibility.
During the approach, while on radio frequency 124.0 MHz, the pilot was advised that the weather was 900-foot overcast, visibility 7 miles with light drizzle. When the aircraft was on final approach, the controller heard three clicks (on 124.0 MHz) and advised the pilot that he had lost radar contact. The pilot responded by stating that he had ground contact and was cancelling his IFR clearance, but that he could not see the runway lights.
Shortly thereafter, the aircraft collided with trees at an elevation of approximately 1000 feet MSL, then crashed and burned. The minimum descent altitude (MDA) for the approach was 1600 feet MSL.