Flight Details
The pilot of the accident airplane obtained a weather briefing the night before the flight and filed an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan, intending to fly at 154 knots. The airplane departed on the IFR plan and climbed to 6,900 feet above mean sea level (MSL), maintaining that altitude for about four minutes while on a southwesterly heading. Thereafter, the altitude began varying about 200 to 300 feet above and below 6,900 feet MSL. The airplane's ground track changed multiple times during the flight, and the heading changed as much as 90 degrees while altitude changes were occurring. The last FAA air traffic control radar contact showed the altitude at 4,500 feet MSL and the heading opposite to the original heading.
Weather Conditions
Weather information indicated cloud bases and tops were about 6,000 and 10,000 feet MSL, respectively, in the airplane's immediate vicinity.
Witness Observations
Ground witnesses reported hearing the airplane's engine accelerating and decelerating, followed by a "... ka-boom..." sound. One witness saw the airplane coming out of the clouds nose first and pointing at the ground. Another witness saw the airplane emerging from the clouds tumbling without its empennage.
Post-Accident Examination
The on-scene examination revealed no pre-existing anomalies with the airframe.
Pilot Experience
Before flying the accident airplane as pilot-in-command, the pilot received 11.6 hours of flight training in that aircraft. According to his logbook, his total time in the airplane was 23.2 hours. The logbook also showed 18.5 hours of actual instrument flight time and 41.4 hours of simulated instrument time. He had flown 0.6 hours of simulated instruments in the accident airplane before the accident flight.