Incident Overview
A night instrument departure was initiated with a maximum assigned altitude of 4,000 feet. The pilot did not adhere to the departure instructions concerning routing and climbed to 4,600 feet. When queried, the pilot reported experiencing autopilot problems. A few minutes later, the aircraft disappeared from radar.
Impact and Wreckage
The aircraft subsequently impacted a line of trees at high speed, resulting in extensive fragmentation. The wreckage was scattered over a distance of approximately 450 feet.
Aircraft Examination
Due to the severity of the impact damage, investigators were unable to identify the specific autopilot malfunction. However, no pre-impact anomalies were noted with the airframe or engine. The aircraft's pitot-static system and transponder were both out of inspection status at the time of the accident.
Pilot Qualifications
The pilot was current for instrument flight but was not current for night flight operations.
Investigation Conclusion
The investigation determined that the pilot failed to follow the departure instructions concerning routing.