Background
After washing the airplane, the pilot took off for a short night flight to dry it. Family members reported that the pilot's habit was to conduct a 15- to 20-minute flight after washing the airplane.
Witness Accounts
A witness near the accident site observed the airplane's nose pointed downward and its red and green position lights spiraling around as it descended. Another witness located closer to the impact location heard loud sustained engine sounds, describing them as "like a kamikaze in a dive." The sounds terminated after a few seconds with the sound of "2 cars hitting each other."
Wreckage and Examination
The airplane collided with trees and hilly terrain. The extensively fragmented wreckage was spread over a 100- by 200-foot debris field. No preimpact failures or malfunctions were found during the wreckage examination.
Pilot and Aircraft Records
The pilot's last reported flight review was conducted in a helicopter. The last pilot logbook entry was dated May 28, 1997, the date of the last flight review. According to the aircraft logbook, the pilot averaged about 1.8 flight hours per month in the airplane during the past 11.5 months.
Weather Conditions
Weather observations reported clear skies with no visibility restrictions. There was no moon illumination. The only ground reference lights were from the city, which was located north and west of the accident site.