What happened
During a personal cross-country flight in a Piper PA-28 near Pine Bluff, Arkansas, the pilot became disoriented. After flying for several minutes without clear navigation, he contacted air traffic control to request assistance. While being vectored toward the Pine Bluff airport by air traffic control, the aircraft ran out of fuel and subsequently crashed.
The weather conditions at the time of the accident were classified as marginal visual flight rules (MVFR). Observations indicated an overcast ceiling at 3,700 feet, visibility of three miles, and the presence of fog.
The investigation
Investigation details regarding mechanical examination are not provided in the source text.
Findings
Contributing factors included the pilot's disorientation during flight and the subsequent fuel exhaustion. The weather conditions of low ceiling and reduced visibility likely contributed to the initial navigational difficulty.