Incident Overview
The aircraft, registration N9235Z, was one of three used in a political campaign in Oklahoma. After landing at McAlester, the pilot accompanied the campaign group while the other two pilots stayed at the airport to check weather. Upon the group's return, the planned flight to Idabel was canceled due to bad weather.
Pilot's Decision
The pilot, who was not instrument-rated, elected to return at night to Ardmore, despite having stated that the instrument panel lights were inoperative. He attempted to obtain batteries for his flashlight at the airport but was unable to do so.
Lack of Weather Briefing
The pilot did not obtain an FAA weather briefing. He asked one of the other pilots about the weather and was told that conditions were bad at Ardmore but better to the north and northwest.
Flight and Crash
After takeoff, the aircraft flew for nearly an hour before it crashed near Coalgate. A person who heard the crash reported that visibility was poor and the night was very dark. He also stated that a storm occurred shortly after the airplane flew overhead.
Impact and Aircraft Condition
The impact occurred in a steep, nose-down, inverted attitude. No preimpact part failure or malfunction of the aircraft was found.
Weather Conditions
The 2055 CST weather at Ardmore was reported as: 600-foot overcast ceiling, visibility 7 miles with light rain and fog.
Discovery
The aircraft was found on a farm on February 4, 1990, by the land owner.