Accident Details
A non-instrument-rated pilot and his wife were involved in an accident after the pilot elected to continue a flight after dark in worsening weather conditions. The pilot had previously landed short of their destination due to adverse weather during daylight hours. Despite being advised by another pilot who had just flown the route that the weather was not good, and with his wife begging him not to continue, the pilot proceeded.
Wreckage and Witness
The wreckage was located two days later in a sparsely populated, rural, wooded area. The aircraft had crashed in a steep nose-down attitude. A witness located approximately 9 miles from the crash site reported seeing an aircraft flying at about 200 feet in the direction of the crash site, along Highway 78, at approximately the time of the accident.
Pilot Experience
The pilot had less than 1 hour of simulated instrument flight time, and none since taking his private pilot flight test approximately 18 months prior to the accident.