Incident Overview
A certified flight instructor (CFI) and a student pilot were planning to conduct touch-and-go landings at an airport located approximately 15 miles east of their departure airport. At the departure airport, they completed one takeoff and landing but were subsequently denied further operations because weather conditions were below visual flight rules (VFR) minimums.
The CFI requested and received a Special VFR clearance, then departed the control zone to the east. Approximately two minutes after reporting clear of the control zone, the airplane collided with a hill about 8 miles southeast of the departure airport, at an elevation of approximately 925 feet above mean sea level (MSL). The impact occurred in a wings-level, nose-level attitude.
Weather and Toxicological Findings
A helicopter pilot operating in the area reported ceilings of approximately 800 to 850 feet MSL. Toxicological analysis of the CFI's urine revealed a high level of an antihistamine.
Circumstances
The intended destination was a nearby airport east of the departure field. No further information about the aircraft type, registration, engine count, or occupants was provided in the source. The source did not specify injuries, fatalities, or damage beyond the collision with the hill.