Flight Plan Cancellation
The pilot canceled his instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan and attempted to fly under visual flight rules (VFR) at a relatively low altitude over mountainous terrain. The night was dark, with low scattered clouds present.
Visual Conditions
After descending from instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) into visual meteorological conditions (VMC), the pilot reported seeing a large lighted area, which he identified as downtown El Paso. However, the area was most likely Coronado Hills, a development on the west side of Franklin Mountain, located approximately 4 miles north of the mountain's south end.
Pilot Experience
According to a professional acquaintance, the pilot's familiarity with the area, combined with his method of flight operation, probably gave him a false sense of security and overconfidence in his personal ability. This likely contributed to his decision to fly VFR at low altitude over mountainous terrain in challenging night conditions with limited visibility due to scattered clouds.