Incident Overview
A pilot reported that while cruising southbound at 2,500 feet MSL en route to Enid, Oklahoma, he encountered fog. He continued flying for 15 to 20 minutes before executing a 180-degree turn back toward Hutchinson, Kansas. According to the pilot, he was in the clouds trying to fly out of instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) when the aircraft flew into the ground and he lost consciousness.
Pilot Account
The pilot stated that he received no weather briefing and filed no flight plan. National Weather Service records show that forecasts valid for approximately the time of the accident called for IMC and marginal visual meteorological conditions (VMC) throughout Oklahoma and southern Kansas.
Post-Accident Analysis
Post-accident calculations revealed that the aircraft impacted the terrain in a shallow descent near cruise power. The aircraft porpoised and wheelbarrowed before digging into soft dirt. The nose gear sheared off, and the aircraft flipped inverted, shedding its right cabin door and ejecting the pilot-rated passenger.