Flight History
According to the pilot's statement, he was operating under visual flight rules (VFR) out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, when he encountered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) close to Valdosta, Georgia. At that point, the pilot stated that he air-filed an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan but elected not to land and refuel.
Air traffic control (ATC) information indicates that the aircraft disappeared from radar 44 nautical miles short of Stuttgart, Arkansas, which was the pilot's intended destination airport.
Weather Conditions
Reports by the National Weather Service at the time of the accident indicated that a low pressure trough with low IFR conditions existed from the Midwestern Plain States to the Florida Panhandle and on through the Ohio Valley region.
Post-Accident Examination
Post-accident calculations revealed that the aircraft had been operated over the maximum allowable gross weight during the initial portion of the flight, and that fuel reserves for IFR operations were nonexistent. No usable fuel was found in the aircraft's tanks. An operational check of both powerplants detected no mechanical malfunctions.