Flight Preparation and Weather Briefing
At 1037 EST, the pilot received a weather briefing prior to departing on an IFR cross-country flight. At 1051, the National Weather Service issued severe thunderstorm warning #537. When the pilot requested an IFR clearance at 1107, he was advised of frontal activity. Approximately three minutes later, he was briefed on the weather warning, which he acknowledged.
Weather Warnings and Diversion
At about 1138, the pilot was advised of weather conditions in his vicinity and along his planned route. The briefing included moderate to severe turbulence and moderate to heavy rain. Based on this information, the pilot elected to divert to Savannah, Georgia. At 1139:54, he reported that his weather conditions were rough with rain.
Loss of Contact and Search
At 1141:11, the controller noted that the aircraft's transponder reply indicated an altitude of 2,600 feet instead of the assigned altitude of 7,000 feet. Around that time, radio and radar contact were lost. The aircraft is presumed to have crashed at sea, and both pilots were presumed fatally injured. A search of the suspected area was conducted by the Coast Guard, and debris suspected to be from the aircraft was found. However, the main wreckage was not recovered.