Circumstances
A non-instrument rated pilot and three passengers planned a pleasure flight to an unspecified destination (MX). Despite weather conditions being below VFR minimums, the pilot elected to attempt the flight. Several minutes after departure, the aircraft was observed entering an area where it was snowing. Witnesses estimated the cloud base at 200 feet above ground level, with visibility varying from 50 feet to 1 mile.
Witness Observations
One witness reported seeing the aircraft flying below the clouds in a steep left bank. The aircraft then suddenly rolled to the right, pitched upward approximately 30 degrees, and flew into the clouds. Another witness, located in a house about 150 feet south of the accident site, heard a sound similar to an aircraft engine in a power dive. This witness then heard a loud dull thud and, looking outside, saw the aircraft in his apple orchard.
Examination
Examination of the aircraft and engine did not reveal any preimpact failures or malfunctions. The aircraft was found in the orchard, and no specific injuries or fatalities were mentioned in the source. The pilot was not instrument rated, and the flight was conducted in conditions below visual flight rules (VFR) minimums, but the source does not explicitly state that this was the cause of the accident.