What happened
The aircraft was observed flying in a right bank when it suffered an in-flight breakup. Both wings, the vertical stabilizer and rudder, and the horizontal stabilizer and trim tab separated from the fuselage prior to impact with the ground. Weather conditions were dark night with scattered to broken cloud cover, maintaining visual flight rules (VFR). A weather report from 33 nautical miles northwest of the site indicated ceilings at 10,000 feet scattered and 25,000 feet overcast. However, a ground witness reported cloudy skies but noted that stars were visible between the clouds.
The pilot was a private aviator without an instrument rating. He had checked out in this specific aircraft earlier on the day of the accident. His license was restricted from night flight operations because he had not met the minimum night time requirements under FAR 61.109 when he received his certificate. His instructor had explicitly warned him against attempting to fly solo at night. The pilot had logged two hours of dual night instruction several months prior and flew approximately 45 minutes solo during this accident flight.
The investigation
Examination of the wreckage revealed that all separation fractures were consistent with overstress. Analysis showed that the right wing was struck by the left wing after the left wing had separated in a negative manner, contributing to the structural failure sequence.