Incident Overview
A pilot and his son departed at night to participate in the search for a downed aircraft. They located the burning wreckage of the missing plane and observed people moving around the accident scene. They made a pass over the site by diving with the landing light on. During this dive, light from the landing light reflected back into their eyes due to fog. The pilot then climbed to an altitude where he could communicate with the UNICOM at Allendale, Georgia.
Second Pass and Crash
According to the pilot's son, they then made a second pass over the downed aircraft. During this pass, the aircraft struck trees and crashed. The son stated that during the second pass, he was unable to see anything when the landing light again reflected back into their eyes. He also said he was not aware that they were getting so low.
Toxicological Findings
A toxicological check of the pilot's blood revealed an alcohol level of 0.11%.