What happened
The aircraft crashed in a mountainous region while operating under visual flight rules (VFR) on the afternoon of December 12, 1984. Local residents located approximately three to four miles from the accident site reported that clouds, fog, rain, snow, and hail obscured the mountains during the afternoon of the incident and continued through the night.
The investigation
Investigators found no record of the pilot obtaining a weather briefing prior to the flight. Family members provided context regarding the pilot's habits; the pilot's son stated that the pilot did not like to check weather conditions or file flight plans. Furthermore, it was noted that the pilot had a known tendency to fly through clouds in an attempt to reach visual meteorological conditions (VMC).
Findings
The accident occurred in adverse weather conditions that were not adequately mitigated by pre-flight planning. The absence of a weather briefing and the pilot's disregard for standard weather checks contributed to the decision to continue into deteriorating conditions.
Safety message
Pilots operating in mountainous terrain must obtain comprehensive weather briefings before flight. Ignoring adverse weather reports and attempting to penetrate clouds to reach VMC is extremely dangerous and often leads to loss of control or controlled flight into terrain.