What happened
The pilot was operating a personal VFR flight carrying his wife and son as passengers. During the course of the journey, the aircraft entered deteriorating weather conditions. The pilot had been advised that scattered rain showers were located ahead along his intended track.
Despite this warning, the pilot continued on his original path. At some point during the flight, he contacted approach control to report that he had lost visual contact with the ground. He expressed concern about the situation and stated that he intended to turn back unless he broke out of the clouds shortly.
Approach control observed the aircraft's radar return beginning a right turn. During this maneuver, the pilot's transmission was cut off abruptly. Radar contact was subsequently lost at an altitude of 2,500 feet. The wreckage of the aircraft was later discovered scattered over an area of almost 1,000 feet, indicating that the aircraft had broken up in flight.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to continue into deteriorating weather conditions while operating under visual flight rules. The loss of visual reference to the ground likely led to spatial disorientation or loss of control, resulting in the structural failure of the aircraft in mid-air.