Incident Overview
A pilot flying en route to his destination reported to air traffic control (ATC) that he was positioned above a hole in the clouds and intended to descend through it. ATC responded by advising the pilot that the area was overcast and provided the current weather conditions at the destination. Shortly thereafter, ATC informed the pilot that radar contact had been lost, which the pilot acknowledged.
Communication Details
ATC twice requested that the pilot activate the aircraft's transponder ident feature, but no beacon returns were received. After ATC advised the pilot that radar contact was lost and relayed the tower frequency for the destination, no further communications were received from the aircraft.
Weather Conditions
Weather reports indicated scattered clouds at 8,000 and 15,000 feet with 40 miles visibility north of a mountain ridge. South of the ridge, conditions were scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken ceiling at 3,300 feet, and visibility of 7 miles. Estimated cloud tops were approximately 8,000 feet. The highest terrain between the pilot and the destination was about 4,000 feet.
Accident Site
The aircraft came to rest on an ascending northern slope at an elevation of 3,700 feet. The pilot had received a weather forecast prior to departure that included obscuration in the vicinity of mountains, turbulence, and precipitation throughout the evening, with a note that VFR flight was not recommended.