What happened
Approximately three and a half hours before departure, an instrument-rated private pilot received an abbreviated weather briefing for visual flight rules (VFR) conditions. After departing, the pilot contacted Flight Watch and was advised that VFR flight was not recommended.
The pilot requested and received VFR radar traffic advisories. During the flight, the controller instructed the pilot to report when the airport was in sight, which the pilot acknowledged. Approximately two minutes later, the controller asked if the airport was visible. The pilot responded, "No, I'm in the soup right now."
The controller informed the pilot that the aircraft was 1-1/2 miles north of the airport and advised the pilot to maintain VFR. The pilot repeated that he was "in the soup" and requested the current ceiling height. The controller stated that the information was unavailable but provided the frequency for the automated weather observing system (AWOS). This was the final recorded transmission from the aircraft.
The airplane was destroyed upon impact with the side of a hill. Radar data indicated the aircraft was at approximately 1,000 feet above ground level as it passed roughly 3/4 of a mile west of the airport. Approximately 11 minutes prior to the accident, weather conditions at the destination airport consisted of fog with 1/4 mile visibility and a ceiling of 100 feet overcast.