Circumstances
Two private pilots, neither holding an instrument rating, and three passengers decided to return home after a weekend visit. A friend attempted to dissuade them from flying due to the existing weather conditions, but they indicated they had to return home because the children's school started the next day. The friend offered to drive them home and return their rental car, but the pilots declined, assuring him they would not fly if the weather was too bad. At the airport, one of the pilots was observed checking the weather computer multiple times, and the group was noted as being "pretty concerned about the weather."
Flight Sequence
The airplane departed from Elmira, where weather at 1622 hours was reported as a 3,600-foot overcast with light rain. The aircraft climbed to approximately 8,500 feet, entering or nearing instrument meteorological conditions. Radar tracking showed the aircraft transitioning from a climbing right turn at about 8,500 feet to a rapidly descending right turn. An altitude loss of 1,600 feet in 12 seconds was recorded. The aircraft was observed descending from a cloud layer in a spin, with part of the left wing missing, just before impacting terrain. The pilot-owner occupied the left front seat, and the other pilot occupied the right front seat. At the time of the accident, the airplane was near its maximum gross weight.
Post-Accident Examination
Post-crash metallurgical examination of the left wing spar fracture surfaces revealed features typical of overstress separation, with no evidence of pre-existing cracks.