Aircraft Enters Severe Thunderstorm and Crashes After Loss of Radar Contact (N88JH)

Preflight and Departure Information During the preflight weather briefing, the pilot was informed to expect rain showers and thunderstorms up to Level 6 intensity along the planned route. The aircraft was equipped with radar and Stormscope equipment. The pilot filed an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan and departed under IFR. Upon radar contact, air traffic control (ATC) cleared the pilot direct to the destination. ## In-Flight Events and Loss of Contact Twenty-one minutes after departure, while flying on a direct northwesterly track, the aircraft entered a Level 4 thunderstorm cell. The pilot reported to ATC: '...[I] hit a pretty heavy cell here [I've] got lightning all around and picking up some hard ice.' A crew member from another aircraft deviating north of the storm suggested the pilot turn north to exit the weather. ATC relayed this suggestion, and the pilot confirmed he was turning north. The aircraft entered a right turn, and radar contact was lost after approximately 90 degrees of turn. Six seconds after the last radar position, the pilot transmitted: '...[I'm] in a tremendous downdraft [I'm] losing altitude six thousand.' This was the final transmission from the aircraft. ## Search and Recovery A search was initiated, and the wreckage was found approximately 11.5 hours later, about 1.5 miles south of the last radar position. Logbooks recovered from the wreckage indicated the pilot was not current for IFR flight.