What happened
The pilot received a preflight weather briefing that indicated flight practices for occasional mountain obscuration and instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). However, the briefing did not include a thunderstorm forecast, nor was the pilot advised that VFR flight was not recommended. The route of flight and the destination at Morgantown Regional Airport (MGM) were portrayed as marginal VFR. The pilot was informed that weather at MGM was partially obscured, with an estimated ceiling of 1700 feet overcast and visibility of 1 mile in moderate rain and fog. The briefer characterized these conditions as marginal VFR and noted that they appeared to be deteriorating through the night, potentially becoming IFR by morning.
Despite lacking an instrument rating, the pilot departed on the flight to transport a passenger to a high school reunion. Family members were scheduled to meet them at the destination. Subsequently, the aircraft struck the 2900-foot level of an obscured 3368-foot mountain located between Manassas and Morgantown. The wreckage path indicated a southeasterly direction toward Manassas.
The investigation
The pilot had recently flown approximately one hour of dual instruction in actual IMC, but his total instrument time was not determined. No preimpact part failure or malfunction was found.