What happened
On April 23, 1997, while conducting a cross-country flight, the pilot encountered deteriorating weather conditions. The pilot contacted a Flight Service Station (FSS) to request a change from VFR to IFR clearance. However, the IFR request was not accepted because the pilot could not climb to the required IFR Minimum Enroute Altitude (MEA) while maintaining visual conditions and avoiding crossing traffic.
The pilot notified the controller that he believed he was picking up tail plane ice and stated his intention to descend to find better visibility and plan an alternate route. Later that day, after the pilot's wife reported that he had not arrived at his destination, an alert notice (ALNOT) was issued.
Five days later, the aircraft was located where it had impacted into a mountain at 11,100 feet MSL, near the location of the pilot's last radio communication. The aircraft partially burned following the impact.
The investigation
Investigators were unable to access the accident site until August 5, 1997, due to prevailing weather conditions. Examination of the impact marks indicated that the aircraft was in level flight at the time of the crash. Weather at the time of the accident included rain, snow, and low clouds that obscured the mountain tops.