What happened
The pilot received multiple weather briefings before departing for a flight to Jackson, Idaho. These briefings explicitly warned of icing conditions, low cloud ceilings, and turbulence, advising against visual flight rules (VFR) operations. Despite these warnings, the pilot departed under VFR but filed an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan en route.
Upon approaching Jackson, the pilot was issued instructions for an ILS approach but was unable to execute them successfully. An air traffic controller attempted to guide N6089T toward Jackson and subsequently toward Idaho Falls as conditions deteriorated. The aircraft encountered severe weather, including significant icing and turbulence, during the approach phase. The accident occurred approximately 30 miles from Jackson.
The investigation
Review of the pilot's logbook revealed a lack of recent night flight time, suggesting potential fatigue or proficiency issues during the operation.