Accident Overview
An aircraft accident occurred during darkness after the flight encountered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). According to the investigation, the flight had been advised by a weather service that visual flight rules (VFR) flight was barely feasible. No FAA weather briefing was recorded, and no flight plan was filed.
Witness Observations
A witness near the accident site observed an aircraft through breaks in the clouds. The aircraft appeared to be flying under control on top of the clouds or between cloud layers. A loud sound was heard, and the aircraft was seen to fall out of a solid upper cloud layer for approximately 300 to 500 feet before disappearing into a lower cloud layer.
Wreckage Examination
Separated components of the left and right wings were located over a mile from the main wreckage impact crater. The investigation found no medical or mechanical discrepancies of a causal nature. The pilot's logbook did not contain any history of hooded or instrument flight.