What happened
A pilot, who was not instrument rated, was returning to his home airport following a business trip. The flight occurred at night under Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC), with an overcast ceiling reported at 7,000 feet. The departure runway heading pointed directly toward the Pamlico Sound in eastern North Carolina.
The aircraft impacted trees and terrain during a shallow descent and came to rest in an inverted position. The wreckage was located approximately 1/4 mile north of the departure end of Runway 11. There were no fatalities reported in this accident.
Findings
The investigation found no evidence of mechanical problems or a loss of aircraft control prior to the impact. However, it was noted that the sparsely populated area provided a lack of night visual references. The combination of darkness and an overcast ceiling created conditions conducive to spatial disorientation.