Departure and Weather Briefing
The student pilot, who had no simulated or actual instrument experience and a total of 9 hours of night flight time, contacted the Amarillo FAA Flight Service Station (FSS) for a weather briefing. The flight was planned from Borger, Texas, to Big Spring, Texas, a distance of 210 nautical miles south. The briefer advised of marginal VFR conditions en route and instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) with an 800-foot ceiling at the destination. The pilot was also informed of a weather frontal system expected to move into the area overnight, bringing widespread IMC by morning.
Flight and Discovery
The pilot departed on the night VFR cross-country flight but did not arrive at the destination. The flight was reported missing 9 days after takeoff. The wreckage was located 84 nautical miles west of the intended course in flat, very remote range land.
Impact
The aircraft impacted the terrain in a left wing low attitude, with a 30-degree nose-down orientation.