Background
A pilot contacted the Altoona Flight Service Station for a telephonic weather briefing prior to a planned flight from State College, Pennsylvania, to Elmira, New York. The briefer advised that VFR flight was not recommended due to mountain obscurations and 'quite strong' winds. The pilot stated his intention to proceed with the flight under VFR.
Flight
Radar data showed the aircraft traveling northward at night. The flight path included several heading deviations, some as large as 270 degrees. The altitude varied between 3,200 and 4,100 feet during the en route portion.
Accident
The radar track then depicted a descending right spiral from approximately 4,000 feet that ended near the accident site. The airplane struck trees and terrain on a 2,100-foot ridge about 15 miles west of the intended course. Wreckage was scattered over approximately 342 feet on a westerly heading.
Aftermath
Examination found no preimpact mechanical failure that would have caused the accident. The pilot had logged about 111 hours of total flight time, including approximately 1 hour of instrument flight time.