What happened
A pilot was operating a flight from the Denver metro area to Indiana to transport passengers on vacation. No flight plan had been filed for the trip, and there was no record of a preflight weather briefing being conducted.
The flight proceeded without known difficulties until it reached the border between Colorado and Kansas. Upon observing significant cloud buildup ahead, the pilot requested and received weather observations for locations further along the route. The pilot was advised of Level 2 rain showers containing embedded thunderstorm activity along a frontal boundary.
While NextTalk (NTAP) data showed no appreciable alteration to the ground track following the weather briefing, the data did indicate large changes in altitude, which suggested the presence of severe turbulence. The final recorded data indicated a descent rate of 12,000 feet per minute. The aircraft subsequently impacted a furrowed field in an inverted position. Portions of the aircraft were found scattered over a one-mile area.
The investigation
The investigation revealed evidence of lightning strikes to both the cockpit and the wing, as well as a fire within the cabin. Radar data confirmed that the aircraft penetrated an area containing Level 4 thunderstorms.