Overview
A 57-year-old pilot embarked on a cross-country flight late in the day, aiming to complete a 7 to 8 hour trip ahead of incoming weather. He had spent the previous two days pheasant hunting. The flight involved a second leg that began as a dark night departure, for which he filed a VFR flight plan indicating a cruising altitude of 12,500 feet MSL.
Flight Details
Radar data revealed that the pilot climbed to 13,100 feet at one point during the flight. Over the next nearly three hours, his route was characterized as a meandering and undulating track. The final approximately 10 minutes of the flight consisted of a gradual, on-track descent, culminating in impact at about 5,700 feet MSL. The accident occurred roughly one hour short of his intended destination. The pilot carried no supplemental oxygen.
Other Information
According to friends, the pilot frequently took 'cat naps' on long cross-country trips while relying on the autopilot to fly the aircraft. The autopilot was operational, except for the altitude hold function, which was not working.